Dynetics to develop tactical space support vehicles

Dynetics has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Leidos has concluded testing the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command’s (USASMDC) Lonestar tactical space support payloads.

Through the Design, Development, Demonstration and Integration (D3I), Domain 1 task order, Dynetics will develop, test, integrate and demonstrate two tactical space support vehicles (TSSV) that will be used to enhance all phases of joint force operations.

Dynetics completed the payload design in only four months. This progress was the result of the company’s expertise in high-performance signal processing applications for defense, intelligence and spaceflight hardware development. The payload hardware and flight software were completed, integrated and verified within 18 months. This took place at Dynetics’ small satellite development labs, where hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) simulations were conducted to exercise the system following a “Test Like You Fly” approach.

- ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW -

Meanwhile, the Lonestar team also developed software to perform a series of tests that ensure functional operation of the payload flight hardware. Dynetics completed HWIL testing and simulation at the command’s Payload Development Laboratory (PDL) facility located at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala. This optimized TSSV performance and reliability.

“With our strengths in critical payload technologies, space hardware and software development, secure labs and manufacturing capabilities, Dynetics is taking on the challenge to meet emerging national space defense goals.” said Mike Graves, Dynetics space systems department manager and Lonestar program manager.Dynetics’ mission assurance process supports these rapid development programs with a focus on reliability to improve mission success. It also prepares volume production to meet the operational needs of the tactical warfighter.

Readers who wish to follow our weekly coverage can subscribe to the Weekly Defense Roundup.

If you wish to report a grammatical or factual error in this article, please let us know by using the online form.

Executive Editor

Support The Defence Blog

Independent reporting takes resources. Join us on Patreon.

Become a patron

More Like This

Ukraine confirms rocket launches into space during wartime

Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate conducted two successful rocket launches into space during the ongoing full-scale war with Russia, reaching altitudes of over 100 kilometers...

Pentagon wants to track emerging threats from deep space

The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the branch of the U.S. Department of War charged with developing new technologies for the military,...

South Korea builds its own GPS-style navigation system

South Korea is moving forward with the construction of its national satellite navigation infrastructure, selecting Jeju Island as a hub for the Korean Positioning...

South Korea to launch new spy satellite

South Korea is preparing to launch its fourth military reconnaissance satellite later this month from U.S. soil, as part of a wider effort to...

Pentagon funds Boeing to advance space comms tech

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded The Boeing Company a $9.1 million contract modification to continue development efforts on the Evolved Strategic Satellite...