ITT Industries Wins Contract to Modernize Global Positioning System (GPS) Satellites
Lockheed Martin Space Systems has
awarded ITT Industries Aerospace/Communications Division (A/CD), a
$39M contract to upgrade up to twelve Global Positioning System (GPS) Block
IIR satellites.
The satellite payloads will be modified to incorporate a
second civilian signal and two new military signals.
In addition to new military and civilian signals, the GPS IIR
modifications will include increased signal power and the ability to
reconfigure signals and power in orbit.
These improvements provide for
increased accuracy and better resistance to jamming.
Work on this contract
will be performed at ITT Industries’ Clifton, New Jersey facility and is a
follow-on to the development contract awarded in August 2000.
“This is great news for our GPS team and for users in both military and
civilian communities,” said Lou Dollive, ITT Industries A/CD president.
“These improvements push GPS modernization ahead by more than eight years.”
Previously, modernization of the GPS would not begin until 2005.
Under
that schedule, a fully modernized constellation would not be available to
users until 2015.
Under the ITT/Lockheed plan modernization begins in 2003
with all twelve modernized IIRs being in service by 2006.
Thanks to waveform generator advances made by ITT Industries, the addition
of new channels was made using a single broadcast carrier wave.
Additionally,
a more efficient high-power amplifier, controlled through the waveform
generator, adds power to the military signal when it is needed.
According to Pete Regan, A/CD’s vice president for space operations, ITT
Industries-provided payloads have been a part of every GPS ever launched.
This has given ITT a unique insight into GPS operations and directly led to
the advancements being made on the IIR satellites.
Additionally, along with
GPS Team Leader Lockheed Martin, ITT is working on an architecture study
leading to a competition for the design and production of the next series of
GPS spacecraft, referred to as GPS III.
ITT Industries, Inc. (http://www.itt.com) supplies advanced technology
products and services in key markets including: electronic interconnects and
switches; defense communications, opto-electronics, information technology and
services; fluid and water management and specialty products.
Headquartered in
White Plains, New York, the company generated $4.8 billion in 2000 sales, and
employs approximately 42,000 people around the world.
In addition to the New York Stock Exchange, ITT Industries stock is traded
on the Midwest, Pacific, London, Paris and Frankfurt exchanges.
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