SRA International, Inc., a leading provider of technology solutions and strategic consulting services to both the private and public sectors, announced today the successful launch of the TacSat-3 satellite which is using SRA’s spacecraft command language (SCL) software to provide autonomous control of critical flight operations.
The satellite launch supports the Operationally Responsive Space Office (ORS). TacSat-3 carries three distinct payloads designed to demonstrate the ability to provide real-time data collected from space to combatant commanders in the field: the ARTEMIS hyperspectral imager, the Ocean Data Telemetry Microsatellite Link and the Space Avionics Experiment. SRA’s SCL software provides autonomous flight control and underlying command and data handling for the TacSat-3 flight system. SRA’s space business unit (Interface Control and Systems) teamed with Alliant Techsystems (ATK) on the project. ATK served as the primary contractor working with the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) as the procuring agent for the orbital hardware.
Brian Buckley, SRA’s program manager for the SCL system, had this to say: “Congratulations to our partners ATK Space and the AFRL for the successful launch of TacSat‑3. The TacSat‑3 mission is the second in a series of missions to prove that America can build satellites better, cheaper and faster than ever before. These new class of missions will revolutionize the satellite development marketplace and augment capabilities for our troops in the field.â€
TacSat-3 marks the second employment of SRA’s award winning SCL flight software in support of the ORS office. SCL is used for automation of mission critical systems such as satellites and industrial control systems. SRA’s other ORS projects include TacSat-2, TacSat-4, ORS Sat-1 and PnPsat.
