El SEGUNDO, Calif., March 15, 2010 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA]
has won the National Space Club's 2010 Nelson P. Jackson Award for
fielding the first three Wideband Global SATCOM spacecraft, the
highest-capacity military communications satellites in the U.S.
Department of Defense arsenal. Boeing representatives accepted the
honor March 12 at the 53rd annual Goddard Memorial Dinner in
Washington, D.C.
The National Space Club is a nonprofit organization that fosters
excellence in space activities by promoting interaction between
industry and government. The Nelson P. Jackson Award, named after
the club's founder, is presented for outstanding contributions in
the fields of space, missiles or aircraft.
Each WGS satellite has more than 10 times the capacity of a
Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) III satellite, the
system WGS will eventually replace. WGS-1 was launched in 2007;
WGS-2 and WGS-3 were launched in 2009. The three spacecraft are
exceeding all customer payload requirements as they provide
high-performance broadband communications to U.S. warfighters and
their allies in the major theaters of operation around the
world.
"Under the WGS contract, Boeing has delivered three satellites
to the Air Force that are already providing critical service to the
warfighter," said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager
of Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems. "With a total of six
satellites under contract, Boeing is meeting and exceeding all
financial and schedule commitments on the WGS program, so it's
gratifying to see the program achieve this industry honor.
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"Because of the capabilities provided by WGS, the Department of
Defense has seen a fivefold increase in satellite communications
bandwidth worldwide. We're working closely with our Air Force
teammates to continue improving the system and help warfighters
execute missions with greater safety and effectiveness."
WGS satellites provide significantly greater throughput and
flexibility over legacy and commercial systems, and include
reconfigurable antenna spot beams that can bring broadband
communications to remote regions. WGS-4, WGS-5 and WGS-6, planned
for launch in calendar years 2011 and 2012, will include a radio
frequency bypass enhancement that supports airborne intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance missions requiring higher data
rates. The Air Force recently requested a proposal from Boeing for
options for six additional WGS satellites.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space &
Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and
security businesses specializing in innovative and
capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and
most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in
St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion
business with 68,000 employees worldwide.
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Contact:
Bob Pickard
Space & Intelligence Systems
Office: 310-364-6125
Mobile: 310-343-1211
robert.pickard3@boeing.com
Angie Yoshimura
Space & Intelligence Systems
Office: 310-364-6708
Mobile: 310-227-6568
angie.e.yoshimura@boeing.com