Boeing [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a contract from
Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems to provide amplifiers and power
conditioners for the JCSAT-9 satellite being built for JSAT Corporation of
Japan.
The agreement calls for Boeing Electron Dynamic Devices, Inc. (EDD), located
in Torrance, Calif., to provide S-Band Linearized Traveling Wave Tube
Amplifiers (LTWTA) and C-Band Electronic Power Conditioners for the JCSAT-9
satellite.
"EDD is very pleased to be selected to support the JCSAT 9 program," said
Chris Stephens, EDD vice president and general manager. "We look forward to
continuing EDD’s long history of providing high reliability and high
performance products and contributing to Lockheed Martin’s success for
JSAT."
In communication satellites, traveling wave tube amplifiers (TWTA) are used
to amplify and transmit very low-level radio frequency signals back to Earth
for a variety of applications including voice, video and data. A typical
TWTA consists of a traveling wave tube and an electronic power conditioner.
On satellites that carry a large number of signals, a linearized channel
amplifier is often added to cancel the amplifier distortion. This results in
clearer communications that benefit the customers of the satellite operator.
The final assembly is referred to as an LTWTA.
JCSAT-9 will provide satellite communications services throughout Asia and
Japan and is scheduled for launch in 2005. JCSAT-9 is a high-power hybrid
satellite and will be built on the A2100AX platform, manufactured by
Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems in Newtown, Pa.
EDD is a leading provider of high reliability products to space and defense
customers and serves as an independent merchant supplier under Boeing
Integrated Defense Systems.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of
the world’s largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St.
Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $25 billion business. It
provides systems solutions to its global military, government and commercial
customers. It is a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance; the world’s largest military aircraft manufacturer; the
world’s largest satellite manufacturer and a leading provider of space-based
communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense;
NASA’s largest contractor; and a global leader in launch services.
