[SatNews] The Space and Missile System Center’s Space Based Infrared Systems Wing and Lockheed Martin held a successful critical design review for the third and fourth geosynchronous satellites planned under the SBIRS Follow-On Production Contract.

The CDR was held at Lockheed Martin’s Space Systems Company in Sunnyvale, Calif., August 16-18, with more than 250 government and contractor reviewers. The CDR for GEO 3 and 4 infrared payloads was held earlier in November 2009 at Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems in Azusa, Calif. The third and fourth GEO satellites will be near clones of GEO 1 and 2, accommodating small changes such as a different star tracker, inertial measurement unit, and replacing obsolete parts. “This represents an important step in transitioning GEOs 3 and 4 into production. We are ready to start producing the next set of satellites to provide the missile warning, missile defense, battlespace awareness, and technical intelligence data warfighters count on,” said Col. Scott Larrimore, commander, SBIRS Space Group commander. The review confirmed the detailed design for GEOs 3 and 4 has addressed all obsolescent issues from the previous SBIRS satellites. The contractor will now transition into production phase of the lifecycle en route towards a projected launch in late 2014 for GEO-3.