WGS-2 Launches
from Cape Canaveral
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ITT Corp.’s Systems Division in Cape Canaveral, FL received a $7 million task order to support the US Air Force’s Eastern and Western missile ranges.

The task order was issued as part of a 10-year, $1.3 billion contract awarded to ITT by the USAF.

The contract calls for ITT to modernize the USAF Spacelift Range System (SLRS). This work includes support for spacecraft launch, as well as ballistic missile and aeronautical testing.

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Commercial Satellite Imagery
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The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), a US Department of Defense combat support agency, awarded GeoEye (formerly Orbimage) in Dulles, VA a $214.2 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to supply satellite imagery to US government customers from the company’s satellite constellation.

Under the modification, the basic contract service level agreement (SLA) will be extended 4-month through Mar 31/10 ($50 million SLA value, $51.7 million miscellaneous), followed by one 9-month option (April 2010 to December 2010, $112.5 million). Work will be performed in Dulles, VA.

GeoEye’s predecessor Orbimage received the original NextView contract (HM1573-04-C-0014), worth up to $500 million, in 2004…

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SBIRS-High
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The Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS)-High satellite program is a key component of the USA’s future missile alert system, designed to give maximum warning and monitoring of ballistic missile launches anywhere in the world. The new satellites will replace the existing Defense Support Program (DSP) fleet. Their infared sensors have 2 times the revisit rate and 3 times the sensitivity of DSP, while providing better persistent coverage.

Unfortunately, the program has been beset by massive cost overruns, technical challenges that continue to present problems, and uncertain performance. Despite its problems, the U.S. Air Force is proceeding with the program, even as it examines potential alternatives and supplements.

DID has more on the current state of the SBIRS-High program and its budgets, and covers recent contract awards…

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Harris Technical Services in Colorado Springs, CO received a $10 million contract modification for operations, maintenance, and logistics support to the US Air Force Space Command’s 50th Space Wing. At this time the entire amount has been obligated. 50 CONS/LGCZW at Schriever Air Force Base in California manages the contract (FA2550-08-C-8011, P00032).

The 50th Space Wing is responsible for the operations and support of more than 170 US military satellites…

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Space-based sensors
could be vulnerable
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Azimuth Corp in Dayton, OH received a $50 million contract to conduct hardening and survivability research designed to protect sensors from directed energy threats. The contract is being awarded under the US Air Force’s Hardened Materials Research and Survivability Studies program, which is intended to study materials technologies, interactions, and/or applications to improve the survivability of military systems.

Air Force Research Laboratory Detachment 1 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio manages the contract (FA8650-09-D-5434).

A 2007 report by a US Defense Science Board task force identified the potential use of directed energy to disrupt sensors…

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Iraq War
Geospatial Intelligence
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Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp. in Van Nuys, CA, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. in Boulder, CO, and General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems in Dayton, OH received a combined $600 million indefinite delivery/ quantity contract to support the National Air and Space Intelligence Center’s (NASIC) Advanced Technical Exploitation Program (ATEP). The 3 companies will compete for work under this contract.

DID has more on NASIC and its ATEP…

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Iraq War GEOINT
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TASC Corp. in Andover, MA received a ceiling priced $43.5 million firm-fixed-priced, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract to provide sustainment, systems engineering, integration, production, fielding and logistics support for the U.S. Marine Corps’s Topographic Production Capability (TPC) [PDF] system. The TPC system is a transportable, highly mobile, modularized network of systems that allows the commander to exercise near real-time control, coordination, and direction of Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF)’s geospatial intelligence (GEOINT).

DID has more on the Marine Corps’ TPC…

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Satellite with FAST
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Boeing Satellite Systems in El Segundo, CA won a $13.8 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for Phase 2 of the Fast Access Spacecraft Testbed (FAST) satellite power generation and propulsion program. The objective of the FAST program is the development and demonstration of a high power generation and propulsion system for mobile satellites.

DARPA’s FAST program is a multiphase effort to design and develop a ground test prototype of a new High Power Generation Subsystem (HPGS) for mobile satellites. DID has more on the FAST program…

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Bruce Willis missed…
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Kirkland AFB, NM recently entered into a cooperative effort with the University of Hawaii of Honolulu, Hawaii under the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (PanSTARRS) multi-year program.

PanSTARRS will address numerous science applications ranging from the structure of the Solar System to the properties of the Universe of the largest scales. It will also be able to detect and catalog large numbers of earth-orbit crossing asteroids, or near earth objects (NEO) that present a potential threat to mankind. That last component to the mission is especially intriguing, as there is a long history of partial efforts in this direction within the US and elsewhere. So, where does this award fit in?

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The proliferation of micro-satellites is just the start. USAF journals like High Frontier [5/1, PDF] are already talking about nano-satellites, or in civilian parlance “CubeSats.” Their effects could be profound, and will be felt in many ways. San Jose’s Good Morning Silicon Valley covers an Institute for the Future project called The Signtific Lab. The premise, which you’re invited to discuss and build on, is:

”...in 2019, cubesats – space satellites smaller than a shoebox – have become very cheap and very popular. For $100, anyone can put a customized personal satellite into low-earth orbit. And space data transfer protocols developed by the Interstellar Internet Project provide a basic relay backbone linking low-powered cubesats with ground stations, and with each other. Space is open…. What will you do when space is as cheap and accessible as the Web is today?”

DID’s readers have far more background than most in these areas, and are welcome to participate. The exercise is open until end of day on Match 12/09, and readers can sign up to play “positive imagination” [see example] or “dark imagination” [see example] cards, or supplement existing cards with an “antagonism” card (disagree), a “momentum” card (and then what?), an “adaptation” card (introduce a twist), or an “investigation” card (follow-up questions). Remember, as the IFTF reminds participants, “Your forecasts don’t have to be probable. They just have to be possible.”