Northrop Grumman awarded by the US Air Force to facilitate military satellite communications in the North polar region.

Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded an $82 million contract by the U.S. Air Force to facilitate military satellite communications in the Earth’s north polar region through its Enhanced Polar System Recapitalization (EPS-R) Control and Planning Segment (CAPS) program. Northrop Grumman is the provider for all three major components of the EPS-R CAPS program demonstrating the company’s industry-leading end-to-end capabilities.

Northrop Grumman is the provider for all three major components of the EPS-R CAPS program demonstrating the company’s industry-leading end-to-end capabilities (Picture source: Northrop Grumman)

The U.S. Air Force's EPS provides secure, jam-resistant satellite communications coverage to forces in the North Polar Region (above 65 degrees north latitude) in support of national objectives. CAPS is a next-generation ground system that receives telemetry and supplies configuration commands, mission planning and cryptographic planning for the EPS and EPS-R polar-orbiting payloads. Northrop Grumman successfully developed, built and delivered the EPS CAPS for the U.S. Air Force Military Satellite Communications Systems Directorate (MILSATCOM) on a previous contract.

The Authority to Proceed granted by this contract award includes the development of software for the EPS-R CAPS taking the program from requirements analysis to test and delivery. The contract also addresses international host accommodations provided by Space Norway for new out of band link functions, cyber architecture, orbit planning, and the capability for controlling two additional EPS-R Payloads on a single software baseline in addition to the two existing EPS Payloads.

“Northrop Grumman is committed to delivering the critical ground segment technologies that support the important mission of U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Command," said Rob Fleming, vice president, strategic force programs, Northrop Grumman. “We demonstrate through this contract and in close collaboration with Space and Missile Command that existing ground design and software can be successfully modified to support new and advancing mission requirements, an important strategic priority for our customer.”

Work will be performed in Redondo Beach, California and Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by September 30, 2023.