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ockheed Martin has mated the satellite bus to the payload for the first Space Based Infrared System geosynchronous-orbit satellite, which is slated for launch in 2009. This successful marriage means that prime contractor Lockheed and payload subcontractor Northrop Grumman can begin system level environmental and acceptance testing. “The integration of this technically complex hardware is a major milestone for the team” developing this “first-of-its-kind satellite,” states Lockheed SBIRS vice president Mark Crowley in a company release.
Billy Mitchell: Lessons a Hundred Years Hence
Dec. 16, 2025
Exactly 100 years ago, on Dec. 17, 1925, Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell was convicted by court-martial for violating an order that required approval before he could engage with the media. Mitchell’s provocative thoughts and unorthodox methods sought attention for a cause that he saw as uniquely American.

