WASHINGTON, March 25, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EMS Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:ELMG) announced today at Satellite 2009 that hardware from EMS Defense & Space (D&S) will fly on the next two spacecraft of NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS).
EMS will provide the autotrack modulators associated with antenna pointing control for the TDRS K program spacecraft. NASA developed the satellite data relay network to satisfy the requirement for long-duration, high availability space-to-ground communications. The TDRSS operates in S-, Ku-, and Ka-band frequencies and provides tracking and data acquisition services between near Earth-orbiting spacecraft, such as the International Space Station, the space shuttle, the Orion crew exploration vehicle, and their respective control and data processing facilities. The Boeing-built TDRS F8, F9 and F10 satellites, flying EMS hardware, are currently providing critical services to NASA and the nation's space programs.
These represent the fourth and fifth flight sets awarded to EMS Defense & Space by Boeing, and the 11th and 12th overall since EMS began work on the program in 1988. The company is scheduled to deliver all hardware in the next 23 months. "Compared with previous TDRS launches, the EMS-built autotrack modulator on TDRS K, L must operate in harsher environmental conditions, including a broader temperature range, higher vibration environment, as well as new radiation and data rate requirements," notes Marty Broadwell, vice president, Programs, EMS Defense & Space.
"We are building on a successful track record over the past three decades, providing space-qualified hardware and innovative RF technology for Boeing," Broadwell says. "EMS is pleased to be part of the TDRS program, as we work with Boeing to deliver a flight-proven communications antenna system that meets NASA's requirements for their data relay system."
The TDRS-K satellite will be ready for launch in 2012, and TDRS-L will be ready for launch in 2013.
About EMS Defense & Space
EMS Defense & Space, a division of EMS Technologies (Nasdaq:ELMG), is a leading supplier of antenna systems and beam management for a broad range of military and commercial applications, including mobile network-centric operations, radar for battlefield visibility and commercial aero connectivity. Defense & Space hardware products and systems enable secure and vital RF links in the air, in space, at sea and on the ground. Visit www.emsdss.com or www.ems-t.com for more information.
Editor's Note: Visit EMS Technologies at Satellite 2009 at Booth #121. Access high-res product images of EMS hardware for TDRSS from the EMS Photo Gallery at: http://www.emsdss.com/company/photo.aspx.
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