WASHINGTON — An imaging sensor developed by EO Vista for U.S. Space Force weather satellites passed a key design review, the company announced Jan. 31.
EO Vista, based in Acton, Massachusetts, is supplying sensors to General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, one of three contractors competing in the U.S. Space Force Electro-Optical Infrared Weather System (EWS) program.
General Atomics, Raytheon Technologies and Atmospheric & Space Technology Research Associates (recently renamed Orion Space Solutions) are proposing concepts for a constellation of polar-orbiting weather imaging and cloud characterization satellites designed to replace the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), which is nearing its end of life.
General Atomics is offering a constellation of 15 small satellites for the EWS program. The Space Force is expected to select one or more teams to launch a demonstration mission in 2023.
EO Vista has been working on the electro-optical infrared sensor design for the past few years and already has started integrating it with flight hardware, the company said. Gregg Burgess, vice president of space systems at General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, said EO Vista “already has eliminated substantial risk by executing flight software on the EWS engineering development units.”
