Air Force issues contracts under Protected Milsatcom Design study

According to a recent announcement made by the US Air Force Space Command’s Space and Missile Systems Center, the USAF’s “Protected Milsatcom Design for Affordability Risk Reduction Demonstration Study” initiative has issued  more than 15 contracts for protected military satellite communications to big satellite manufacturers.

The goal of the USAF study is to find out if existing and/or narrowly modified commercial protected satellite communications systems can be used to support future protected Milsatcom needs in a cost-effective and affordable manner. The Protected Milsatcom study will cover concept development and component level demonstrations.

The USAF awarded contracts to Boeing, General Dynamics, General Dynamic Advanced Information Systems, Government Communications Systems, Harris, Hughes Network Systems, L-3 Communications, Lockheed Martin, Markham Technology, Northrop Grumman, Orbital Sciences, Space Micro, Raytheon, Space Systems, and ViaSat. The study participants will be given until July 28, 2013 to complete their proposals for protected satellite communications systems.

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Sonalysts installs Wideband Global SATCOM simulator upgrades in two Air Force space trainers

Sonalysts, Inc. recently installed Release 1.0 of its Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) simulation in the Standard Space Trainer (SST) labs at Vandenberg AFB and Schriever AFB.

The WGS Release 1.0 training system is a Mission-Specific Vendor Plug-in (MSVP) application launched from the SST Architecture that trains crews and operators in ground operations and vehicle support for WGS communications satellites. Sonalysts installed it in the SSTs of the 533rd Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, and the 50th Space Wing, Schriever AFB.

The SST Architecture allows space system trainers to be built using a personal computer-based, commercial off-the-shelf hardware solution. The trainers are not forced to rely upon the actual hardware or software of the space system. In addition, new training systems deployed from the same SST Architecture can develop through a Software Development Kit package.

Sonalysts also installed the SST Architecture and the Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) MSVP. The latter MSVP was already resident in the SST training labs. Thanks to these upgrades, the 533rd and 50th are the first sites where the SST Architecture is deploying MSVPs for two different satellite communications systems within a single training lab. 

Later this year, Sonalysts plans to install WGS Release 2.0 in the 533rd and 50th's respective SSTs. It will also further modify the SST Architecture and DSCS MSVP.

The SST upgrades are an important milestone in satellite operator training. Instructors will be able to link training sessions between different MSVPs and facilitate the cross-sharing of data in real-time in the same training exercise. Multiple crews will now be able to train interdependently for the first time.

Sonalysts performed these upgrades as part of its Small Business Innovation Research Phase 3 contract with the Department of the Air Force, Headquarters, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. The upgrade cost over over $20 million. Around 24 software engineers, software testers, training specialists, and Air Force subject-matter experts in Waterford, CT and Colorado Springs, CO helped develop the WGS program.

USAF awards $339 million to Boeing for new WGS-10 satellite

The U.S. Air Force likes what Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems is doing for the Wideband Global Satellite Communications program. So it’s modifying its contract and awarding Boeing an additional $338.7 million to build a tenth WGS military communications satellite.

As its name suggests, the planned WGS-10 will be the tenth member of the WGS system. Its new wideband digital channelizer gives it twice the satellite bandwidth compared to its predecessors’ configuration.

The USAF is procuring the WGS satellites through a commercial-style operating model. The new purchasing model saves significant amounts of money by streamlining processes, tests, and governmental oversight functions based on the developing maturity of the WGS production line.

Boeing’s production of the WGS satellites began in 2000. The first three satellites are in geosynchronous orbit, providing wideband communications to warfighters around the globe. WGS-4 was successfully launched in January 2012 and is currently being readied for operations. The next five satellites, 5 to 9, are currently in production, while number 10 has just been ordered by the USAF.

The Wideband Global satellite communications system provides 24/7/365 communication worldwide for U.S. warfighter through broadcast, multicast and point-to-point connections. It is the only system that can support X- and Ka-band communications at the same time, and its capability to crossband ensures transparent communication across terminal types. The three currently-operational satellites currently gathers and routes real-time data through more than 700 X-band, 3100 Ka-band, and 400 X/Ka-band terminals around the world.