Date: 01/12/2008

Lightweight satellites related study-contract to Harris from US Air Force

Harris Corporation is awarded an eight-month study contract by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, Sensors Directorate Wright Patterson AFB to develop a new modular communications architecture for satellites that weigh less than 400 kilograms and can be deployed quickly and cost-effectively.

The study will support the Operationally Responsive Space Office (ORSO) at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, with systems engineering, requirements analysis, and concept development of an architecture whereby common components are able to support multiple payloads. The modular architecture will allow rapid configuration of the satellites to meet the changing needs of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions as well as other military communications requirements.

"This award reflects the proven expertise that Harris has gained in its many years of developing architectures and sensor payloads for satellite systems," said Wes Covell, president of Harris Defense Programs. "We are very pleased to be able to support ORSO in its mission to develop a new satellite architecture that can be modified easily to provide payloads targeted to a specific mission."

Harris Defense Programs develops, supplies, and integrates communications and information processing products, systems, and networks for a diverse base of aerospace, terrestrial and maritime applications supporting U.S. Department of Defense missions. Harris is committed to delivering leading-edge technologies that support the military's ongoing transformation to network-centric communications. Harris also annnounced in a separate press release that, it has beed awarded with two Outstanding Product Awards for its newest broadcast technology solutions at the Beijing International Radio, Film and Television Equipment Exhibition (BIRTV) in Beijing, China. Harris won the awards for its Maxiva ULX series of liquid-cooled transmitters for high-power UHF applications and the X85 enhanced all-in-one processor.