LIVE: Minotaur IV - SBSS - September 25 2010

[Kabloona]

Arguments about cost ratios aside, congratulations to Pontifex Maximus and the Orbital team.

[kevin-rf]

Aviation week: "USAF Steers Away From Second SBSS"
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=aerospacedaily&id=news/asd/2011/02/18/02.xml&headline=USAF%20Steers%20Away%20From%20Second%20SBSS%20Satellite

In short sticker shock...

[input~2]

US Air Force begins using Boeing surveillance satellite

[Comga]

US Air Force begins using Boeing surveillance satellite

Ahem!  A "Boeing surveillance satellite"?  Some credit needs to be given to Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. who built the spacecraft and sensor.

PS Boeing did "build" most of the sticker shock referred to by kevin-rf. IMO

[Star One]

USAF next space surveillance system on target for 2021

WASHINGTON – After telling Congress it needed $11.5 million less than it expected this year for an upcoming space surveillance mission, the U.S. Air Force said July 22 it still plans to launch the next Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) system in 2021.

The current SBSS satellite, the Block 10 pathfinder, was launched in 2010 and is expected to last until about 2020, according to budget documents.

http://spacenews.com/u-s-air-forces-next-space-surveillance-system-on-target-for-2021/