Astranis secures cxontract to add military Ka band to Omega satellites

Written by Copernical Team Tuesday, 24 September 2024 14:00

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Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 20, 2024

The U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC) and U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM) have awarded Astranis a $13.2 million contract to enhance their Omega satellites with Military Ka frequency capabilities. This contract includes $3.3 million of funding from SSC and is part of a Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) initiative, supported by Space Systems Command, SpaceWERX, and other venture ca

Astranis secures cxontract to add military Ka band to Omega satellites
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 20, 2024

The U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC) and U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM) have awarded Astranis a $13.2 million contract to enhance their Omega satellites with Military Ka frequency capabilities. This contract includes $3.3 million of funding from SSC and is part of a Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) initiative, supported by Space Systems Command, SpaceWERX, and other venture capital contributors.

"The targeted mission impact for the Astranis project is to significantly enhance the resiliency of tactical satellite communications for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and USSF for assuring beyond-line-of-site connectivity across warfighters, sensors, and weapons systems in contested space, and radio frequency scenarios," explained Ms. Charlotte Gerhart, Director of the Tactical SATCOM Acquisition Delta.

The initiative will modify Astranis' next-generation Omega satellites to include Military Ka band compatibility. This upgrade will ensure that the satellites integrate seamlessly with existing military equipment and frequency plans. The Military Ka band is critical for providing high-capacity communications and accessing bandwidth reserved specifically for military operations.

In addition, Astranis will deliver a hardware design capable of supporting the Protected Tactical Waveform (PTW) on their Omega satellites. PTW enhances secure, anti-jam communications in contested environments, providing a tactical advantage for military personnel.

These enhancements will undergo ground-based testing to verify system performance. The tests will measure how the system handles the Government PTW while transmitting over the satellites' transponded signals.