Article Posted on : - Sep 19, 2010

Artist's concept of SBSS satellites in orbit. Photo: Boeing

WASHINGTON (BNS): The US Air Force has delayed its planned competition to build a second Space Based Space Surveillance satellite (SBSS), a media report said.

The first SBSS satellite, which will use an optical telescope to keep tabs on objects in geostationary orbit, was built by Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems of Seal Beach, California, and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation of Boulder, Colo, according to the Space.com.

The satellite's development took longer than expected and its launch has been further delayed almost a year due to problems with its new Minotaur 4 launch vehicle.

The launch of the first SBSS satellite is scheduled for September 25, 2010.

According to sources, US Air Force had planned to award a contract for the satellite in early 2011 with a launch to occur in late 2014.

"Our current plan is to release the final request for proposal no sooner than [the first quarter of 2011] and contract award will be timed appropriately following [its] release," the website quoted US Air Force spokesman Joe Davidson as saying.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems and Orbital Sciences Corporation are said to be the potential prime contractors for the satellite, the report said.