The jamming, survivability and encryption technologies for the UK military's Skynet 5 satellites are expected to be approved at the end of next month.
The critical design review at the end of April will study the two satellites' phased-array anti-jamming and protected telemetry equipment and their survivability against nuclear explosion electromagnetic pulses. The design uses sheet metal shielding for survivability, phased array systems for anti-jamming and encryption for telemetry protection.
Approval will open the way for hardware to be ordered, built and tested this year. Construction of the core structures of the satellites is already under way.
The Skynet design is based on EADS-Astrium's 4,000kg (8,800lb) Eurostar 3000 model and uses super-high-frequency and ultra-high-frequency communication systems. The company that will own the satellites is EADS unit Paradigm Secure Communications.
Paradigm projects director Andrew Stroomer says that while the critical design review approval will enable production of Skynet 5's two satellites to begin, "we are looking at a third satellite. We would need to make a decision on whether we need it soon for it to be built in line with a 2012 or even 2015 launch."
The first two satellites will be launched in late 2006 for a March 2007 commissioning, and are designed to operate for 12 years.
ROB COPPINGER / LONDON
Source: Flight International