Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems of Seal Beach, Calif., has delivered the third Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) satellite to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., in preparation for a planned Nov. 10 launch, according to an Oct. 14 Boeing press release.
The third satellite in the U.S. Air Force’s new high-capacity communications satellite fleet will give the U.S. military nearly global X- and Ka-band coverage, the release said. The first two satellites launched in 2007 and 2008 and are on orbit and fully operational. Each satellite delivers about 10 times the capacity of its predecessor Defense Satellite Communications System satellites.
Boeing is currently under contract to deliver three more WGS satellites that are planned for launch in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The Air Force plans to maintain a constellation of eight of the satellites on orbit at a time, and Boeing has ordered long-lead items for the seventh and eighth craft.
