US Air Force Takes Delivery of Third Highly Elliptical Orbit Satellite Payload
By Tai Nichols | July 2, 2013
Tags: HEO, SBIRS, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman
Publication: Shephardmedia.com
Publication Date: 07/01/2013
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SBIRS architecture.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
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The U.S. Air Force has taken delivery of the third Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO) satellite payload as part of its Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) program. The first two HEO payloads were delivered in 2004 and 2005. The delivery allows the program to now fully focus on HEO 4, according to Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, lead contractor and payload integrator respectively.
The SBIRS project will deliver infrared (IR) missile warning surveillance capabilities to the warfighter through a combination of HEO payloads, satellites in geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO), and ground hardware and software. SBIRS will provide four HEO payloads, four GEO satellites, and ground stations to receive, process and circulate IR mission data.
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