The next-generation geostationary weather satellites Denver-based Lockheed Martin Space Systems is building for NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) took another step closer to their 2015 deployment following completion of the spacecraft critical design review, according to a May 1 Lockheed Martin press release.
Lockheed Martin is building at least two and as many as four Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-R series spacecraft under a contract awarded in 2008. NOAA spokesman Daniel Karlson said May 3 that the current value of Lockheed Martin’s contract for the GOES-R and GOES-S satellites is $894.7 million — a 15 percent increase over the original value. NOAA has not yet exercised $315.6 million in options to buy the GOES-T and GOES-U satellites, according to Karlson. If NOAA orders these satellites, the total contract value would rise to $1.21 billion, up from $1.09 billion value at the time of award.
Paula Hartley, Lockheed Martin’s GOES-R program manager, said passing the critical design review, CDR for short, validates the team’s readiness to transition from the design phase to the build phase of the program.
“Passing the CDR means we are now one step closer to the 2015 launch of the first spacecraft in the R series,” Hartley said in a statement.
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