The U.S. Air Force's Advanced EHF system will provide global, highly secure, protected, survivable communications for warfighters operating on ground, sea and air platforms. One of the most significant program milestones, thermal vacuum testing will verify Advanced EHF spacecraft functionality and performance in a vacuum environment where the satellite is stressed at the extreme hot and cold temperatures it will experience in space throughout its 14-year design life. Advanced EHF thermal vacuum testing is conducted in Lockheed Martin's Dual Entry Large Thermal Altitude (DELTA) chamber and is one of several critical environmental test phases that validate the overall satellite design, quality of workmanship and survivability during space vehicle launching and on-orbit operations. Following completion of spacecraft thermal vacuum testing, the team of Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, California, the Advanced EHF prime contractor, and Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Redondo Beach, Calif., the payload supplier, will perform environmental test data analysis and remaining integration and test activities necessary to prepare the vehicle for flight. The spacecraft is planned for delivery to the Air Force in 2011 in preparation for launch aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle.
Satnews Daily
February 9th, 2009
AEHF Gets Stressed At Lockheed Martin
The U.S. Air Force's Advanced EHF system will provide global, highly secure, protected, survivable communications for warfighters operating on ground, sea and air platforms. One of the most significant program milestones, thermal vacuum testing will verify Advanced EHF spacecraft functionality and performance in a vacuum environment where the satellite is stressed at the extreme hot and cold temperatures it will experience in space throughout its 14-year design life. Advanced EHF thermal vacuum testing is conducted in Lockheed Martin's Dual Entry Large Thermal Altitude (DELTA) chamber and is one of several critical environmental test phases that validate the overall satellite design, quality of workmanship and survivability during space vehicle launching and on-orbit operations. Following completion of spacecraft thermal vacuum testing, the team of Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, California, the Advanced EHF prime contractor, and Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Redondo Beach, Calif., the payload supplier, will perform environmental test data analysis and remaining integration and test activities necessary to prepare the vehicle for flight. The spacecraft is planned for delivery to the Air Force in 2011 in preparation for launch aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle.