ITT Brings Home The Demo To Lockheed Martin Ahead Of Schedule

Lockheed Martin is filled with happy folk over the ITT Corporation delivery of a new demo payload for a modernized Global Positioning System Block IIR (GPS IIR-M) satellite to their Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, facilities. The payload will be integrated onto the spacecraft and final system level testing will occur in preparation for next year’s launch. This major milestone was accomplished by ITT two months ahead of schedule. In fact, it was only nine months ago that the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin the US$6m contract to develop the demo payload which will temporarily transmit a third civil signal from a GPS IIR-M satellite.



The signal, located on the L5 frequency (1176.45MHz) will comply with international radio frequency spectrum requirements. Future generations of GPS spacecraft will include an operational third civil signal to improve the accuracy and performance capabilities of the system. The spacecraft with the demonstration payload, known as SV 09, is one of the final three Block IIR-M satellites planned for launch in 2008. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Valley Forge, Pa., is the prime contractor for the GPS IIR program. The company designed and built 21 IIR spacecraft for the Global Positioning Systems Wing, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. The final eight spacecraft, designated GPS IIR-M, were modernized to enhance operations and navigation signal performance for military and civilian GPS users around the globe. ITT supplied all 21 navigation payloads for both the IIR and IIR-M spacecraft—King of Prussia, Pennsylvania