Activities to raise AEHF-1, the Air Force’s first Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite, into its operational position are proceeding per plan, according to USAF space officials. “The satellite is safe, it continues to operate as planned, and it is expected to reach geosynchronous orbit in late summer 2011,” reads a release Thursday from Space and Missile Systems Center officials at Los Angeles AFB, Calif. Shortly after the satellite’s launch last August, an anomaly with one of its propulsion systems forced the Air Force to devise an alternate way to lift the satellite into its correct operational perch. This issue has delayed the satellite’s scheduled operational date. “Throughout the anomaly recovery, re-planning, and orbit raising operations, a government and contractor team has demonstrated incredible technical expertise and innovation to work around the anomaly and create the opportunity to achieve mission success of this critical national asset,” states the release.
While the Sentinel ICBM program writ large is undergoing a major restructure due to cost and schedule overages, prime contractor Northrop Grumman is touting progress on milestones with the missile itself.
