A satellite communications payload developed by Boeing for the US Space Force Protected Tactical Satcom (PTS) program has passed a critical design review.
The PTS is a rapid prototyping effort to develop jam-resistant satellites for highly secure tactical communication focusing on military users in contested areas where “satellites are expected to be jammed,” Space News wrote, citing PTS program manager Justin Bruner.
The PTS payloads, separately developed by Boeing and Northrop Grumman, will operate in geosynchronous orbit for compatibility “with military terminals with stationary antennas that point only to GEO satellites,” the outlet added.
Launch Scheduled in 2024
Boeing’s PTS prototype “features an on-board processor of the US military’s jam-resistant Protected Tactical Waveform, providing users in-theater anti-jam capability with network routing that exceeds objective requirements,” the company wrote.
The prototype’s host vehicle integration and testing will begin next year, followed by a scheduled launch for in-orbit demonstrations in 2024.
The launch will showcase the payload’s “improved stand-off distance performance, reduced latency, and other mission-enabling capabilities that enable the warfighter in a modern battlefield.”