The test validated the satellite's strength and ability to sustain its launch weight of over 13,000 pounds. Advanced EHF satellites will provide global, highly secure, protected, survivable communications for all warfighters serving under the U.S. Department of Defense.

The successful test, conducted by a team of engineers from Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, Calif., the Advanced EHF system prime contractor, and ATK, Corona Calif., demonstrated with high confidence that the structure can carry the physical loads it will experience during the satellite's manufacturing, launch and operation in geosynchronous orbit.

Advanced EHF satellites are based on Lockheed Martin's flight-proven A2100 spacecraft series.

"The team has achieved another important milestone in the development of this critical program," said Julie Sattler, vice president, Lockheed Martin Space Systems. "We look forward to our continued progress and delivering a new level of communications connectivity for our troops and allies worldwide."

The team delivered the structure to Lockheed Martin's facilities in Sunnyvale, Calif., to begin a modal survey, which will ensure that sources of vibration such as reaction wheels, solar arrays and various deployable and steerable mechanisms will not impact the critical mission of the communications payload.

Production of the first Advanced EHF spacecraft structure is also progressing and has started acceptance testing prior to integration with the satellite's propulsion subsystem components.

Lockheed Martin is currently under contract to provide the first two Advanced EHF satellites and command control system to its customer, the MILSATCOM Joint Program Office, located at the Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif. Northrop Grumman Space Technology is the payload provider.

Advanced EHF is the follow-on to the Milstar system, whose capabilities were cited by the Department of Defense as essential to the U.S.-led coalition�s success in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Milstar's voice, data and video teleconferencing communications were also used recently in the military's coordination of necessary resources for hurricane relief operations. Advanced EHF will provide 10 times greater total capacity, and offer channel data rates six times higher than that of Milstar II satellites.

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