L-3 Telemetry-West of San Diego has signed a contract to upgrade the command and control software for satellite messaging service provider Orbcomm, according to a June 28 L-3 Telemetry-West press release.

Fort Lee, N.J.-based Orbcomm operates a constellation of 29 first-generation machine-to-machine messaging satellites and plans to begin launching the first of at least 18 second-generation satellites as early as late this year. L-3 Telemetry-West has signed a contract to provide its InControl software to support the operations of all Orbcomm satellites, the release said.

The new software will be installed at Orbcomm’s satellite control center by the end of the year and able to support as many as 75 satellites simultaneously, expandable to support more satellites, the release said. L-3 Telemetry-West spokeswoman Suzanne Lamb would not disclose the terms of the contract.