Programme Passes Final Design Review

General Atomics’ Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) division has announced completion of the final design review for the US Space Force’s Space Systems Command EO/IR Weather System (EWS) satellite programme.

In reaching this stage of the project, GA-EMS has developed a prototype of an EWS spacecraft, which combines a redundant bus with a high-performance sensor. When announcing the project had passed the initial design review last April, GA-ESM’s President, Scott Forney, said the “low SWaP-C prototype [will be] the first satellite in a future constellation architecture that will provide better performance, resiliency, and mission assurance, as well as less than a one-hour revisit time.”

It is a more ambitious prototype than might otherwise have been considered, with the company opting to design a spacecraft that can operate for up to five years rather than one intended to act purely as a technology demonstrator with an operational life of up to a year. This means the prototype ought to be capable of conducting an operational role – a key consideration as the systems the EWS will replace reach the end of their active service lives.

“The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellites are rapidly reaching end of life,” said GA-EMS’s VP of Space Systems, Gregg Burgess, who joined the company this month from Sierra Nevada Space Systems where he held the role of Chief Technology Officer. “By pivoting to provide operational capability, we enable the Space Force to … [fill] EO/IR cloud data gaps created as legacy satellites are retired.  Our world-class manufacturing, test and integration facilities are ready to meet the critical build and launch timelines for EWS.”

Also involved in the design are sensor provider EO Vista LLC, Atmospheric and Environmental Research Inc., who are generating weather product; and Parsons Corporation, who provide the ground station C2 and operations support.  GA-EMS is the prime contractor.