General Dynamics Mission Systems (NYSE: GD) and Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM) have been jointly awarded a contract by the Space Development Agency in the amount of $324,516,613, including a base amount of $162,954,122 and $161,562,491 in options, to establish the ground Operations and Integration (O&I) segment for Tranche 1 of the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA).
Together, General Dynamics Mission Systems and Iridium will build ground entry points and operations centers for the NDSA as well as provide network operations and systems integration services for the SDA's next tranche of proliferated low-earth orbit satellites.
The core operations and integration functions include enterprise management, network management, mission management, payload data management, and constellation monitoring that spans the ground, link, space, and user segments of the architecture.
Working with partners at KSAT USA (KSAT Inc.), Raytheon and EMERGENT, the General Dynamics Mission Systems-Iridium team will develop, equip, staff, operate and maintain state-of-the-art, commercial-like operations centers, acquire and operate ground entry points, and lead ground-to-space integration efforts.
"We are incredibly proud to bring our long heritage of mission-critical space and ground communications and networking expertise to the Space Development Agency," said Chris Brady, president, General Dynamics Mission Systems. "Together with our partners, we're excited to build the foundation for the SDA's initial warfighting capability and backbone of Joint All-Domain Command and Control."
"Iridium, General Dynamics Mission Systems and the U.S. government have a long and successful history of working together and partnering on this project is a natural evolution of our relationship," said Matt Desch, CEO, Iridium. "
Iridium's 25 years of experience operating in LEO makes us uniquely qualified for this opportunity, and we're honored to take on this tremendous responsibility in support of this next generation network."
Related Links
General Dynamics Mission Systems
Iridium
Military Space News at SpaceWar.com
| Tweet |
Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution. | ||
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once credit card or paypal | SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly paypal only |
In rare hearing, Pentagon reports rise in UFOs in past 20 years
Washington (AFP) May 17, 2022
An increasing number of unidentified flying objects have been reported in the sky over the past 20 years, a top US defense official told lawmakers Tuesday in the first public hearing on UFOs in half a century. "Since the early 2000s we have seen an increasing number of unauthorized and/or unidentified aircraft or objects in military controlled training areas and training ranges and other designated airspace," Scott Bray, deputy director of Naval intelligence, told a House security panel. Bray at ... read more