Rocket Lab Selected by MDA to Deliver Satellite Operations Control Center for Globalstar Constellation
10 November 2022 - 8:10AM
Business Wire
Rocket Lab USA, Inc (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the
Company”), a leading launch and space systems company, today
announced it has been selected by MDA Ltd (TSX: MDA) to develop the
Satellite Operations Control Center (SOCC) for Globalstar’s (NYSE
American: GSAT) growing constellation. MDA is the prime contractor
for Globalstar’s new Low Earth Orbit constellation.
The SOCC contract builds on the existing relationship between
MDA, Rocket Lab, and Globalstar established in February 2022 when
Rocket Lab was awarded a $143 million contract design and
manufacture of 17 spacecraft buses for Globalstar’s new Low Earth
Orbit satellites. These new satellites and SOCC will augment
Globalstar’s existing constellation, delivering reliable mobile
satellite voice and data services from space.
The SOCC system will be developed by Rocket Lab’s Denver,
Colorado ground data systems team and based on the MAX Ground Data
System (MAX GDS). MAX GDS is in use on several satellites and
constellations, including the DARPA/SDA Mandrake-2 mission
involving two formation flying spacecraft performing optical
crosslink demonstrations. The Globalstar SOCC will provide 24/7
monitoring and management of Globalstar’s constellation
including:
- Continuous satellite control and monitoring using Rocket Lab’s
MAX GDS, a constellation-class ground software solution that
provides complete spacecraft command and control.
- Satellite orbit determination, maneuver planning, collision
avoidance, orbit maintenance, and propellant management.
- Satellite health analysis and reporting, anomaly resolution,
performance trending, payload monitoring, management, and
reconfiguration.
“The combination of our proven MAX GDS software and our deep
expertise operating demanding and complex missions makes us an
ideal choice for the Globalstar project, and we’re honored by the
confidence and trust MDA have placed in us to deliver consistent
mission success for years to come,” said Peter Beck, Rocket Lab
founder and CEO. “By designing and manufacturing Globalstar’s
spacecraft buses, delivering the flight and ground software
solutions, and developing and supporting the spacecraft operations
centers, we’re once again executing on our strategy of going beyond
launch to deliver complete space mission solutions.”
The SOCC is designed to support Globalstar’s existing
constellation and the new 17 satellites. The MAX GDS solution will
be deployed to all of Globalstar’s existing operations and network
control centers in Covington, LA, Milpitas, CA and Aussaguel,
France.
All 17 of the new Globalstar spacecraft platforms are being
designed and manufactured at Rocket Lab’s Long Beach production
complex and headquarters, where a new high-volume spacecraft
manufacturing line has been developed to support growing customer
demand for Rocket Lab satellites. The satellite platforms will be
delivered to MDA for integration and testing. Leveraging Rocket
Lab’s vertically integrated space systems capabilities, the
satellite platforms feature components and subsystems produced by
Rocket Lab-acquired companies including solar panels and structures
from SolAero Technologies in Albuquerque, New Mexico, software from
ASI by Rocket Lab in Denver, Colorado, and reaction wheels from
Sinclair Interplanetary in Toronto, Canada. The telemetry and
control radio for all spacecraft will also be a C-band variant of
Rocket Lab’s Frontier Satellite Radio (Frontier-C).
+ About Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab (Nasdaq: RKLB) is a global leader in space,
delivering proven and reliable space services spanning launch,
spacecraft manufacture, satellite subsystems, flight software, and
on-orbit operations. Since 2018, the company’s Electron rocket has
delivered proven and reliable launch for civil, national security,
defense, and commercial customers, deploying more than 150
satellites to orbit. Building on the achievements of Electron,
Rocket Lab is developing a next generation large reusable launch
vehicle, Neutron, designed for constellation deployment, cargo
resupply, interplanetary missions. Rocket Lab also develops
mission-ready spacecraft and satellite subsystems. More than 1,700
spacecraft on orbit feature Rocket Lab technology including space
solar power, radios, separation systems, propulsion, flight
software, star trackers, and reaction wheels. Headquartered in Long
Beach, California, Rocket Lab operates three launch pads at two
launch sites, across New Zealand Virginia, and has operations in
Virginia, Colorado, Maryland, New Mexico, and Toronto. Visit
www.rocketlabusa.com.
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+ Rocket Lab Media Contact Morgan Bailey
media@rocketlabusa.com
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