Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. have shipped the first Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) system satellite to Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., where it will launch July 8.
According to Boeing, “the SBSS space vehicle was shipped to Vandenberg after completing a final factory functional checkout. It is currently undergoing final preparations for integration with its assigned Minotaur IV launch vehicle, while the team prepares for the mission dress rehearsal and on-orbit operations.”
“SBSS successfully completed a rigorous final systems integration and test process in preparation for last October’s launch date, ” said Col. J.R. Jordan, vice commander, Space Superiority Systems Wing, U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles. “At every step, the government and Boeing team performed a thorough mission assurance review of the data, checking it against the standards of an operational system. This tough inspection gives us confidence that the system is ready to perform its mission in space.”
