. Military Space News .
Boeing Completes On-Orbit Handover Of Wideband Global SATCOM Satellite To USAF

"WGS-1 represents the first step in our transformational satellite communications journey," said Brig. Gen. Susan Mashiko, commander of the Military Satellite Communications Systems Wing at the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles.
by Staff Writers
St. Louis MO (SPX) Jan 29, 2008
Boeing announced the successful on-orbit handover of the first of six Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellites to the U.S. Air Force. The satellite will be monitored and controlled by the Air Force's 3rd Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo.

WGS-1 is the U.S. Department of Defense's highest capacity communications satellite, offering a quantum leap in communications bandwidth for airmen, soldiers, sailors and Marines. The second and third WGS Block I satellites are scheduled for launch in 2008. The six-satellite WGS system will augment and eventually replace the Defense Satellite Communications System constellation and reduce the U.S. government's reliance on commercial satellite communications services.

"This first WGS satellite is meeting all performance requirements and is exceeding key requirements in ways that will be extremely beneficial to the warfighter," said Craig Cooning, vice president and acting general manager of Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems. "On Dec. 21, 2007, the Air Force exercised the option for a sixth WGS spacecraft, underscoring the importance of the capabilities these satellites provide to the U.S. and its allies. The follow-on contract also reaffirmed the confidence our customer has in our ability to deliver complex systems that fully meet mission requirements."

The satellite has a 25 percent power margin in its downlink beams, which can be used to provide additional communications capacity. It also has a 50 percent margin in its propulsion capability, which could provide up to seven additional years of mission life over the baseline requirement.

"WGS-1 represents the first step in our transformational satellite communications journey," said Brig. Gen. Susan Mashiko, commander of the Military Satellite Communications Systems Wing at the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles. "Launching the first WGS has effectively doubled the bandwidth available to warfighters from U.S. government satellites, which means the people in the field who need that vital information will get it much faster, providing a critical advantage in today's battlefield environment."

Boeing's satellite control team, with Air Force support, controlled the satellite from the time its first signals were acquired shortly after launch on Oct. 10, 2007 aboard an Atlas V rocket through the execution of all required orbital maneuvers and checkout procedures from Boeing's Mission Control Center in El Segundo, Calif. These efforts concluded with the Air Force accepting the satellite.

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
Read the latest in Military Space Communications Technology at SpaceWar.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


SELEX Sistemi Integrati Contracts With EU For Command, Control And Information System
Rome, Italy (SPX) Jan 24, 2008
SELEX Sistemi Integrati signed a contract with the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union for the development, supply and installation of a Command and Control Information System, including the provision of related support, training and maintenance services. The estimated total value of the contract is 11.1 million Euros.







  • Military Matters: Rebuilding states
  • US-China developing better military ties: US admiral
  • Analysis: Taiwan faces better PLA ability
  • India showcases military might

  • Bush: US will 'confront' Iran if necessary
  • Russian long-range bombers in Atlantic war games: reports
  • Outside View: Getting tougher on Iran
  • UN resolution on Iran to 'open new directions': Rice

  • Outside View: Pakistan tests its IRBM
  • Taiwan arms warship with supersonic missiles: report
  • NATO Could Use US Missiles For South East Theater Defense
  • Analysis: Capabilities of Chinese missiles

  • Northrop Grumman Spehar VP Kinetic Energy Interceptors
  • Olmert Backs Iron Dome Of Layered Missile Defense For Israel
  • Japan to boost air defences: report
  • ABM Turnaround In Seoul With SM-3s For Sejong The Great

  • China to build 97 new airports by 2020
  • Qatar Airways looking to natural gas fuel
  • EADS offers to build military, civilian aircraft in US
  • Purdue Wind Tunnel Key For Hypersonic Vehicles And Future Space Planes

  • Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk UAS Surpasses Expectations, Establishes Delivery Record In 2007
  • Iraq War See Widespread Use Of Unmanned Air Vehicles
  • BAE Systems Delivers UAV Target Detection Systems To US Army
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Show Battlefield To Soldiers

  • Feature: U.S. begins Diyala outreach
  • US not interested in permanent Iraq bases: Gates
  • Democrats want Congress to OK any military agreement with Iraq
  • Iraq military deal won't tie US hands: State dept

  • Defense Focus: FCS follies -- Part 1
  • Boeing And SAIC Announce Accelerated Testing Of FCS Early Prototype Systems
  • Military eyes new robotic vision system
  • Eurofighter Typhoon Logs Over 35,000 Flying Hours

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2007 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement