ITT Geospatial Systems of Rochester, N.Y., has completed the critical design review for the primary camera it is building for the GeoEye-2 commercial imaging satellite, according to a March 1 ITT press release.
The imaging payload now moves into the integration and test phase in advance of a planned 2013 launch, the press release said.
Dulles, Va.-based GeoEye is developing the $850 million GeoEye-2 spacecraft in partnership with the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). The company contracted in 2007 with ITT to build the satellite’s camera, and Lockheed Martin was selected last year to build the satellite and launch it on an Atlas 5 rocket.
ITT built the camera onboard the GeoEye-1 satellite that launched in 2008, as well as the cameras onboard the two commercial imaging satellites launched in 2007 and 2009 by Longmont, Colo.-based DigitalGlobe.
