Nichols Martin
Lockheed Martin has completed thermal vacuum testing of a new missile warning satellite the company built for the U.S. Space Force, C4ISRNET reported Sunday.
The fifth Space-Based Infrared System satellite was subjected to hot and cold temperatures that simulated the space environment during the nearly two-month test series.
SBIRS GEO-5 will be part of a geosynchronous satellite constellation that works to detect missile activity across the globe and sends data to U.S. defense infrastructure.
The tests, which ran from April 16 to June 9, were intended to help Lockheed and USSF prepare for launch mission next year.
Tucker White, assembly, test and launch operations lead for the SBIRS GEO-5 program at Los Angeles Air Force Base, attributed the completion of TVAC to collaboration among the Air Force, Lockheed, Aerospace Corp. and other supporting contractors.
