That second one is a totally new composition: Due to the long exposure, the plume can be seen drifting from its original position.
Military Communication Improved as 6th Boeing-built Wideband Satellite Enters Service
WGS-6 last spacecraft in Block II series
Future WGS spacecraft to include more bandwidth
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Dec. 12, 2013 – The sixth Boeing [NYSE: BA] Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellite, funded by the Commonwealth of Australia – the program’s first partner outside the United States – has been delivered on orbit to the U.S. Air Force, boosting communications capabilities for the U.S. military and its allies.
Australia’s funding of the spacecraft provided the Australian Defence Force with immediate access to the WGS network. WGS-6 launched Aug. 7 and is the second WGS satellite delivered to the Air Force this year.
“The first six WGS satellites are giving warfighters quick and reliable access to information, and we continue our commitment to providing the same level of quality and value on the remaining WGS satellites,” said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager of Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems.
Four additional WGS satellites are in production in El Segundo under the program’s Block II follow-on contract. WGS-8 and beyond will include an upgraded digital channelizer, which will increase the satellite’s bandwidth by more than 90 percent.
Boeing Transmits Protected Government Signal Through Military Satellite
New anti-jam technology has transmitted on wideband and commercial satellite platforms
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Jan. 13, 2014 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has applied new anti-jamming technology to an existing military satellite for the first time, expanding the military's potential to access secure communications more affordably.
In the test conducted Dec. 15, Boeing successfully sent a government-developed, protected signal through the sixth Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS-6) satellite. Engineers confirmed that the signal met all targets for accuracy and strength. The demonstration follows a successful transmission of data over the ViaSat-1 commercial satellite in July, showing that the technology offers an affordable option for enhancing anti-jam communications using existing commercial and U.S. government satellites and terminals.
"This technology boosts the ability of warfighters to send protected information without enemy data interference by using currently available satellites that do not have anti-jamming technology of their own," said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager of Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems. "The two demonstrations show the technology is flexible and able to be quickly deployed at a much lower cost than building a new satellite."
For both tests, the signal was sent using a commercial modem that ViaSat modified with anti-jamming features. Boeing plans to continue to develop and test the technology for compatibility with other terminals and systems in 2014.
