A unit of Northrop Grumman [NOC] has delivered 16 new antennas that will be installed on two of the next generation of Air Force Global Positioning Unit satellites, the company said yesterday.
Astro Aerospace developed the self-deploying, monopole JIB antennas that will go on the first two of the next generation of GPS III satellites being built by Lockheed Martin [LMT].
Astro Aerospace had delivered more than 1,000 JIB assemblies for the earlier versions of the satellites, the GPS IIF and GPS IIR. The Air Force develops and operates the fleet of GPS satellites. The first GPS III is scheduled to go into orbit in 2014, Northrop Grumman said.
The JIB antennas are designed to be adaptable and can extend to 25 feet.