Successfully Commanding the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) Satellite
SUITLAND, Md., Oct. 31, 2007 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE:
RTN), Northrop Grumman Corp. and the National Polar-orbiting Operational
Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Integrated Program Office (IPO)
successfully completed the transition of the NPOESS command, control and
communications segment (C3S) to the operations and support team.
This milestone culminated more than four years of development of the
C3S and includes all C3S hardware and software needed for the NPOESS
Preparatory Project (NPP) mission.
Additionally, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, NASA and the NPOESS IPO
recently attained a significant ground segment achievement by successfully
communicating satellite commands from the NPP Mission Management Center
(MMC) to the NPP spacecraft and sensors. The MMC was able to receive and
analyze the NPP satellite telemetry data successfully.
Raytheon accomplished this critical initiative on the first day of NPP
testing. These tests are an important achievement because they enable the
compatibility of all system elements, and they confirm that the program can
continue on, ultimately leading to the NPP launch in late 2009.
"These accomplishments mark significant progress in the command,
control and communications of the NPOESS program," said Michael Mader, vice
president and NPOESS program director for Raytheon's Intelligence and
Information Systems. "Commanding the NPP for the first time validates all
the hard work that we have done and marks another major accomplishment for
the IPO, NASA and contractor team."
The first stage of testing sent satellite-commanding instructions from
the MMC at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Md., to the
NPP spacecraft and sensors at the Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
facility in Boulder, Colo. Raytheon executed the first attempt at this
procedure. This marked the first time that the NPOESS MMC was used to
command the spacecraft, further ensuring that the MMC will accomplish the
command tasks successfully.
Raytheon IIS is part of the Northrop Grumman Space Technology NPOESS
team. Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor and has overall
responsibility for the program development effort.
Based in Garland, Texas, Raytheon IIS is a leading provider of
information and intelligence solutions to the government. Raytheon IIS has
annual revenues of approximately $2.6 billion and employs more than 9,000
engineering and technical professionals worldwide. Raytheon IIS achieved a
strategic milestone in earning CMMI(R) (Capability Maturity Model
Integration) Maturity Level 3 accreditation for the full model scope
(System Engineering, Software Engineering, Integrated Product and Process
Development, and Supplier Sourcing) across its enterprise.
Raytheon Company, with 2006 sales of $20.3 billion, is a technology
leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government
markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning more
than 80 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission
systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing;
effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as
well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in
Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 73,000 people worldwide.
Note to Editors:
The geographically diverse locations are: NOAA Satellite Operations
Facility, Suitland Md.; White Sands Complex, N.M.; Air Force Weather
Agency, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb; Raytheon facility, Aurora, Colo.; Ball
Aerospace & Technologies Corp. facility, Boulder, Colo.; Raytheon
Engineering and Depot Support, Indianapolis, Ind.; and Svalbard Satellite
Station, Norway.
Contact:
Keith Little
703.849.1675
SOURCE Raytheon Company
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Related links:
http://www.raytheon.com
CONTACT:
Keith Little of Raytheon Company,
+1-703-849-1675
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