Lockheed Martin completed the fifth of eight modernized GPS 2R satellites for the U.S. Air Force, the company announced July 18. The satellites offer two new signals, enhanced encryption and anti-jamming capabilities for the military as well as a second civilian signal. The next launch of a GPS 2R satellite is scheduled for Sept. 14 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Stations, Fla., aboard a Boeing Delta 2 rocket.

Separately, Lockheed Martin announced it has delivered the pointing and control assembly software to support software qualification and thermal vacuum testing of the first Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) geosynchronous orbit satellite.

The software, delivered to Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, will be integrated with the signal processing assembly, a payload component that extracts the infrared signal from the background noise and clutter.

The completed payload is scheduled to be delivered to Lockheed Martin’s facilities in Sunnyvale, Calif., in mid 2007 for final spacecraft assembly, integration and test in preparation for launch in late 2008.

SBIRS is designed to provide enhanced missile warning capabilities and support other military mission such as technical intelligence and battlespace characterization.