Acoustic evaluation completed for 4th MUOS satellite
NewsAugust 04, 2014
SUNNYVALE, Calif. Lockheed Martin officials announced that the fourth Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite in the launch order is moving forward in its final testing phase, having cleared acoustic tests. The acoustic evaluation utilized powerful sound waves to simulate vibrations the satellite may experience during launch.
The next phase for the satellite is thermal vacuum testing, which is the last step in its environmental trials. The MUOS satellite will finish environmental and final system checkouts in the coming months, readying for launch in mid next year.
“To date, we have seen a 74 percent reduction in non-conformance defects and a 45 percent reduction in labor hours over our first build,” says Iris Bombelyn, vice president of Narrowband Communications at Lockheed Martin.
MUOS is a next-generation narrowband tactical satellite communications system created to improve ground communications for U.S. forces on the move. MUOS enables military users to have more communications capability over existing systems, including simultaneous voice, video, and data similar to smart phones.
Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, Calif., is the MUOS prime contractor and system integrator. The Navy's Program Executive Office for Space Systems and its Communications Satellite Program Office in San Diego are responsible for the MUOS program.
