PARSIPPANY, N.J., 15 Nov. 2005. DRS Technologies, Inc. announced today that it was awarded new contracts valued at $38 million, including options, to develop advanced, infrared sensors for next-generation imaging systems used on future Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES).
Operated and funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), under the direction of NASA, these geostationary weather satellites will gather infrared and radar data to help improve routine weather forecasting and provide early warnings for severe weather systems.
Initial funding of $8.2 million was received by DRS from ITT Industries, Inc. Space Systems Division, located in Fort Wayne, Ind. Work for these orders will be accomplished by the company's DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems unit in Cypress, Calif. Delivery of the sensors is expected to commence in 2007 and continue through 2009 following the delivery of the fourth flight unit.
For these awards, DRS will design and develop infrared sensors for five flight units supporting next-generation geostationary weather satellites and will provide focal plane array (FPA) sensor modules for the GOES Advanced Baseline Imager.
DRS-produced infrared sensors and FPAs will be integrated into the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) to provide advanced imaging capabilities across the entire range of visible light to long-wavelength regions. DRS's FPAs provide high reliability and spectral sensitivity for high-resolution images, while recording the position, intensity and wavelength of radiation emitted by spatial objects.
The ABI is an advanced version of the imaging system used in current GOES weather satellites. The next-generation version is expected to provide increased detail and visual images of weather systems, improved spatial resolution, increased spectral resolution and faster Earth coverage rates to improve forecasting ability and monitor severe weather systems. The first in a series of launches is scheduled to take place in 2012, beginning with the GOES-R mission.
"The receipt of these new awards builds on DRS's reputation as a leader in advanced infrared FPA technology and reinforces our position as a major provider of sensors and assemblies for space-based remote sensing satellites," said Fred L. Marion, president of DRS's Surveillance & Reconnaissance Group. "DRS's sensor modules have been rated excellent based on their low risk, high operability and superior performance. As recent events have indicated, accurate weather forecasting, especially of severe systems, is essential. Our FPA technology is critical to the weather forecaster's ability to predict and track routine and severe weather systems and is a key component of the U.S. government's resurgent space program."
DRS provides advanced FPAs for several significant U.S. military and space programs and is a market leader in long-range, advanced infrared sighting and weapons systems technology.
DRS Technologies, headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., provides leading edge products and services to defense, government intelligence and commercial customers. Focused on defense technology, DRS develops and manufactures a broad range of mission critical systems. The company employs 6,000 people worldwide. For more information, see www.drs.com.
