CAPE CANAVERAL AIR STATION, Fla., Jan 10, 2002 — A U.S. Air Force Milstar
II military communications satellite is ready for liftoff from Cape
Canaveral Air Station, Fla., on Tuesday, Jan. 15, aboard a Titan IVB launch
vehicle. The satellite and launch vehicle were built by Lockheed Martin
Space Systems Company at its operations in Sunnyvale, Calif. and Denver,
Colo. respectively.
The satellite, designated Milstar II, is the Defense Department’s most
technologically advanced telecommunications satellite, and is the second to
carry the Medium Data Rate (MDR) payload which can process data at speeds of
1.5 megabits per second. The Air Force transitioned to the Block II
configuration with last year’s successful launch of the first Milstar II
satellite. The Milstar block II system offers a variety of enhanced
communications features for the U.S. military, including added security
through the use of specially designed antennas and faster data-rate
transmissions for all users.
Milstar I satellites currently on-orbit are equipped with a UHF and Low Data
Rate payload, which transmits information at rates between 75 and 2,400 bits
per second. Lockheed Martin is under contract to provide one more Milstar
II spacecraft, which is scheduled to launch later this year.
"U.S. forces depend on timely, responsive, secure communications," said
Kevin Bilger, vice president of Military Space Programs for Lockheed Martin.
"With the MDR payload, the Milstar team is providing a substantial increase
in capabilities, allowing our military forces to communicate in a secure
mode without betraying their locations and with capabilities very resistant
to enemy jammers. "We are extremely proud to lead the Milstar team and look
forward to achieving mission success on this critical event."
Milstar’s "switchboard-in-space" concept allows communications links to be
established rapidly and is a revolutionary departure from current
communications systems. The spacecraft constellation provides protected,
global communication links for the joint forces of the U.S. military and can
transmit voice, data, and imagery, in addition to offering video
teleconferencing capabilities. This Milstar launch will increase the Milstar
constellation’s capability to provide near-global coverage for the nation’s
strategic forces, Air Force’s space warning assets and operationally
deployed military forces.
Milstar is used for communications among ships, submarines and land-based
Naval stations via Navy Extremely High Frequency Satellite Communications
Program terminals. The system provides communications networks to Army
units via the Secure Mobile Anti-Jam Reliable Tactical Terminals mounted on
vehicles, and to individual troops and small units from the Single Channel
Anti-Jam Man-Portable terminals. For the Air Force, the Milstar system
provides links for Air Force Command Post Terminals.
The Milstar team is led by the MILSATCOM Joint Program Office at the U.S.
Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base,
Calif.
Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale Operations, is the prime contractor
and lead systems integrator. Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS) provides the
Medium Data Rate payload and crosslink subsystem, and TRW Space &
Electronics provides the Low Data Rate payload.
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, headquartered in Denver, Colo., is
one of the major operating units of Lockheed Martin Corporation. Space
Systems designs, develops, tests, manufactures and operates a variety of
advanced technology systems for military, civil and commercial customers.
Chief products include space launch and ground systems, remote sensing and
communications satellites for commercial and government customers, advanced
space observatories and interplanetary spacecraft, fleet ballistic missiles
and missile defense systems.
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NOTE TO EDITORS: For the complete press kit, including program profiles,
images and live video streaming of the launch, please visit the Milstar News
Center at:
http://lmms.external.lmco.com/about/milstar5.html
For more information about Lockheed Martin Space Systems, see our websites
at:
