INDUSTRY NEWS SEAKR selected to build space signal processor for GEOStar satellites — Northrop Grumman has selected space applications advanced electronics provider SEAKR Engineering to build an advanced space signal processor. The Wolverine processor will be used on two new GEOStar satellites to be launched in 2022. GEOStar satellites are designed and developed to be able to provide communications services such as direct-to-home TV broadcasting, broadband connectivity, cable program distribution, and business data network capacity. Northrop Grumman is SEAKR’s second customer to use the Wolverine processor, a new radio frequency (RF) reconfigurable processor. The device is capable of processing 10GHz of bandwidth for several applications. It also has a high level of on-orbit reconfigurable processing capability. The RF processor has been designed making use of four generations of architectural capability to support all the needs of payload processing performance. The technologies from SEAKR that are being implemented or used include analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and digital-to-analog converter (DAC) technologies, and FPGA-based and application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) based processing technologies. Northrop completes assembly of NASA's James Webb Space telescope — The milestone was achieved after the two halves, namely James Webb Space Telescope Spacecraft Element (SCE) and Optical Telescope Element/Integrated Science Instrument Module (OTIS), were joined together. Northrop Grumman carried out the work at its facility in Redondo Beach, California. The preparations to connect the two halves began seven years ago when work started on the design and build of the flight hardware and tools required for the task. Engineers had to align the 8,000-pound, 131-inch OTIS with six launch load interfaces in a two-phase operation. The two sections have undergone environmental testing separately. In the next few months, the James Webb Space Telescope will be prepared for acoustic and vibration environmental testing in 2020. The telescope will be launched in 2021, and is expected to assist in providing more insight into and beyond the mysteries in the solar system. Back to 2019-09-18 issue of C.E. Weekly Back to Members Base Camp Back to CJHunter Home Page