GEO-1, the Air Force’s first Space Based Infrared Systems early warning satellite passed final exams and is cleared for launch aboard an Atlas V rocket this spring, prime contractor Lockheed Martin announced Wednesday. Confidence testing at Lockheed’s plant in Sunnydale, Calif., was the last milestone following installation of the satellite’s final sub-assemblies. Lockheed is now preparing to ship the satellite to Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., for its placement in orbit. “GEO-1 will usher in a new era of critical missile warning capabilities vital to our national security. As we progress toward launch, the entire government/industry team is laser focused on delivering mission success,” said Col. Roger Teague, USAF’s infrared space systems director. GEO-1 will join two SBIRS payloads already in orbit aboard classified intelligence satellites.
An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the Texas Air National Guard’s 149th Fighter Wing crashed during a training mission in Michigan on Sept. 17. The fighter's sole pilot ejected and is in stable condition at a local hospital.
