|
Boeing
Wins Wideband Gapfiller Satellite Contract
Boeing was awarded
a US$160.3 million contract to develop the Wideband Gapfiller
Satellite (WGS) system. The contract covers development and
construction of the first satellite. The procurement is  for
at least three spacecraft and includes options for an additional
three BSS 702 satellites with their associated spacecraft and
payload control equipment. Operational and logistics support and
training are also included in the program. Total potential value of
the contract is US$1.306 billion.
The gapfiller
program will augment U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) communications
services currently provided by the 3rd generation Defense
Satellite Communications System (DSCS), which provides Super High
Frequency wideband communications, and by the Global Broadcast
Service (GBS), which uses direct broadcast satellite technology to
provide critical information to U.S. and allied forces. With an
initial launch in early 2004, gapfiller will serve as a bridge to
the Advanced Wideband Satellite system, a high-capacity tactical
communications system currently planned for 2008.
The
Wideband Gapfiller Satellite system is a joint-service program
funded by the Air Force and Army. The procuring agency is the Air
Force Materiel Command's Space and Missile Systems Center. Boeing
will be the prime contractor and overall systems integrator. The
program will be managed by Boeing Satellite Systems Inc., El
Segundo, formerly Hughes Space & Communications. Other team
members include Harris Corp., ITT Industries Inc., Norththrop
Grumman Corp's Logicon and SAIC. 
SPACEandTECH Digest is a weekly roundup of the latest industry news of interest
to the space professional. SPACEandTECH Flash! is an internet push
service offered by Andrews Space & Technology to bring the
latest on orders, launches, and important breaking news to your
desktop. SPACEandTECH Digest and SPACEandTECH Flash! are part of
the Andrews Space & Technology www.spaceandtech.com
website, a website designed to serve the information needs of the
space industry.
If you would like to subscribe to the SPACEandTECH
Flash!
(currently a free service), contact the www.spaceandtech.com
Editor-in-Chief, Joe Hopkins, at editor@spaceandtech.com
|
