Lockheed Martin successfully completed thermal vacuum testing of the U.S. Air forces SBIRS GEO-2 satellite. It is the largest hurdle cleared so far in it’s path to launch the next generation of missile warning satellite.
The now move on to final factory work, and complete a series of spacecraft and system tests to make sure the vehicle is flight ready. It will then be delivered to Cape Canaveral Air Station where it will receive final processing and preparations for launch atop an Atlas V.
SBIRS, considered one of the nation’s highest priority space programs, is designed to provide global, persistent, infrared surveillance capabilities to meet 21st century demands in four national security mission areas:
- Missile Warning
- SBIRS will provide reliable, unambiguous, timely and accurate warning for theater and strategic missile launches to the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, Combatant Commanders, and other users.
- Missile Defense
- The system will deliver critical information supporting the effective operation of missile defense systems against national and theater threats.
- Technical Intelligence
- SBIRS will provide the ability to characterize infrared (IR) event signatures, phenomenology, and threat performance data for strategic and operational combatant commanders, the intelligence community, and others.
- Battlespace Awareness
- The SBIRS constellation will deliver comprehensive infrared data to Combatant Commanders, Joint Task Force Commanders and other users to help characterize battlespace conditions supporting force protection, strike planning and other missions.
Sources: PRNewswire, LockheedMartin