Northrop Grumman has conducted the Enhanced Polar System (EPS) Control and Planning Segment (CAPS) preliminary design review and software requirements and architecture review.

The EPS system provides space-enabled, secure communications capabilities to polar users in support of national objectives. EPS CAPS supplies telemetry and control, mission planning and cryptographic planning for the EPS payload.

"Our Northrop Grumman team in collaboration with our MILSATCOM customer has accomplished an important risk-reduction achievement," said Dave Ryan, vice president and general manager for Northrop Grumman's Intelligence Systems division.

"This sets the stage for the critical design review next spring and illustrates our ability to quickly deliver innovative national space security products to the Air Force."

The design reviews concentrated on ensuring that all CAPS requirements have been allocated. It also reviewed plans for the software architecture development to include segment and element designs, specialty engineering analysis, plans for verification and validation, as well as program risk updates.

Northrop Grumman was awarded the EPS CAPS contract in November 2012. The base contract is for 18 months. The primary work will be done in Redondo Beach, Calif., with additional CAPS work performed in Orlando, Fla., and Needham and Marlborough, Mass.

The CAPS design leverages Northrop Grumman's foundational payload control and planning capabilities in use throughout the company from various heritage programs. These various capabilities establish EPS CAPS as the pathfinder for affordable, scalable ground control capability for future protected satellite communications growth.