Denver, Colo., (April 1, 2007) – The U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center awarded United Launch Alliance a contract modification to perform the launch services for the U.S. Navy’s first Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite aboard an Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle. The anticipated launch date is the first quarter of 2010 from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
MUOS is a next-generation narrowband tactical satellite communications system designed to provide significantly improved and assured communications for U.S. forces on the move. The system will deliver simultaneous voice, video and data, as well as improve service to legacy users of the Navy’s Ultra High Frequency Follow-On (UHF F/O) system currently on-orbit.
“United Launch Alliance is proud to continue our long partnership with the Navy, which includes the successful launch of four UHF F/O satellites on Atlas within the last decade,” said Jim Sponnick, ULA vice president of Atlas programs. “Cost-effective assured access to space is our continuing commitment to the U.S. government, and we are looking forward to working with the Air Force, the Navy and Lockheed Martin Space Systems to launch this latest technology for the mobile war fighter.”
Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, Calif., is the prime contractor and systems integrator for the MUOS program. The Navy’s Program Executive Office for Space Systems, Chantilly, Va., and its Communications Satellite Program Office, San Diego, Calif., are responsible for the MUOS program. ULA program management, engineering, test and mission support functions are headquartered in Denver, Colo. and are supported by transition employees in Huntington Beach, Calif. Manufacturing, assembly and integration operations are located at Decatur, Ala., Harlingen, Texas, San Diego, Calif., and Denver, Colo. Launch operations are located at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
For more information on the ULA joint venture, visit the ULA website at www.ulalaunch.com, or call the ULA Launch Hotline at 1-877-ULA-4321 (852-4321).
