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ITT Exelis, GeoEye and Lockheed Martin are collaborating to prepare the GeoEye-2 satellite for its launch and full operation by 2013.
Exelis announced Tuesday it has delivered GeoEye’s imaging system for the satellite to Lockheed Martin’s space systems company in Sunnyvale, Calif.
The McLean, Va.-based firm said the second-generation satellite will provide customers government, commercial and international sectors with color imagery.
GeoEye Chief Operating Officer Bill Schuster said commercial satellite imagery helps carry out missions involving U.S. national security, disaster response and humanitarian operations.
Exelis said the new satellite will collect imagery faster than GeoEye 1, provide more coverage and access to high-resolution imagery for warfighters, intelligence analysts, commercial customers and map producers.
Exelis built the imaging payload for the satellite to include a sensor subsystem, telescope and outer barrel assembly.
The company said the payload will be capable of capturing panchromatic ground sample distance imagery of the Earth’s surface.
Lockheed is assembling the GeoEye-2 satellite in Sunnyvale and Exelis said the spacecraft already has many of its subsystems intact as well as its propulsion system.
