Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




WEATHER REPORT
ATK Demonstrates Network-Centric USAF Weather Satellite Follow-On Architecture
by Staff Writers
Arlington VA (SPX) Dec 13, 2013


File image.

ATK has completed the last major technical milestone in its contract from the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center Defense Weather Systems Directorate. ATK's year-long study of network-centric small satellites as an element of future weather satellite systems culminated on Nov. 14, 2013 in a comprehensive end-to-end, ground-based demonstration of an architecture that could eventually be implemented in a next-generation operational system.

The end result would leverage existing commercial satellite infrastructure to reduce operational costs and shorten delays in transmitting data used for military, scientific or disaster recovery exercises.

The demonstration, led by prime contractor ATK and subcontractors Hughes Network Systems, LLC and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, utilized technological resources from California to Maryland. The demo displayed final data products on a hand-held device and validated the impact of a more nimble configuration of networked systems that can meet the needs of new missions.

"ATK is excited to lead this very capable team in demonstrating the key concepts that need to be mastered to realize future affordable and resilient space system architectures," said Maj. Gen. Jim Armor USAF (Ret.) and vice president, Strategy and Business Development at ATK Space Systems division.

"We enthusiastically endorse the vision of the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center in their quest to gain performance and reduce cost through disaggregation. This is truly a hallmark of delivering affordable innovation, which is our goal in all we do at ATK."

The concept of using small, affordable, disaggregated satellites to replace the current generation of complex and costly multi-sensor weather satellites is being embraced by both the Department of Defense and the Government Accountability Office. To establish the utility of such architectures, ATK studied the capability of its A200 small satellite bus used in ORS-1 and TacSat-3 missions for the Department of Defense to accommodate a wide variety of weather sensors as a part of the study.

Another key objective of the study, as shown in the demonstration, characterized the advantages of transferring data from a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite to a Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) communications satellite for direct insertion into a commercial data network and cloud-based information environment, in accordance with the Department of Defense's Information Assurance guidelines.

Such an approach will provide for the rapid delivery of data to mobile end users while simultaneously reducing the workload on the Air Force Satellite Control Network.

.


Related Links
ATK
Weather News at TerraDaily.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








WEATHER REPORT
More droughts, heavier rains in warmer Europe, study
Paris (AFP) Dec 02, 2013
Europe will likely be a much warmer place by century's end, plagued by frequent downpours over its entire landmass and heatwaves and droughts in the south, new research showed Monday. The continent could see average temperatures rise by 1.0 to 5.0 degrees Celsius (1.8-9.0 deg Fahrenheit) by 2100, said a statement announcing the results of a three-year climate analysis by 27 research institut ... read more


WEATHER REPORT
Ancient crater could hold clues about moon's mantle

Minerals in giant impact crater may be clues to moon's makeup, origin

Silent Orbit for China's Moon Lander

China's most moon-like place

WEATHER REPORT
The Tough Task of Finding Fossils While Wearing a Spacesuit

Mars One Selects Lockheed Martin to Study First Private Unmanned Mission to Mars

SSTL selected for first private Mars mission

NASA Curiosity: First Mars Age Measurement and Human Exploration Help

WEATHER REPORT
Quails in orbit: French cuisine aims for the stars

Heat Shield for NASA's Orion Spacecraft Arrives at Kennedy Space Center

Space exploration can drive the next agricultural revolution

Global patent growth hits 18-year high

WEATHER REPORT
Chang'e-3 probe moves closer to the moon

China's first lunar rover lands on moon: State TV

China moon rover enters lunar orbit: Xinhua

Turkey keen on space cooperation with China

WEATHER REPORT
NASA reports coolant loop problem at ISS

Space station cooling breakdown may delay Orbital launch

New crew to run space station in March

Russian android may take on outer space operations at ISS

WEATHER REPORT
Russian Official Plays Down Concerns on Future of Proton

The ABS-2 and Athena-Fidus satellites for launch by Ariane 5 are welcomed in French Guiana

Arianespace to launch Brazilian government satellite SGDC

Kazakhstan to end Proton missions in 2025

WEATHER REPORT
Feature of Earth's atmosphere may help in search for habitable planets

Astronomers discover planet that shouldn't be there

Hot Jupiters Highlight Challenges in the Search for Life Beyond Earth

Astronomers find strange planet orbiting where there shouldn't be one

WEATHER REPORT
Citrus fruit inspires a new energy-absorbing metal structure

Intense 2-color double X-ray laser pulses: a powerful tool to study ultrafast processes

Highly insulating windows are very energy efficient, though expensive

Silver corrosion provides clues about performance in atmospheric conditions




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement