General Atomics Awarded Contract for Second EWS Satellite and On-Orbit Services by USSF's Space Systems Command

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has received a contract modification from the U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command. The contract includes the delivery of a second weather satellite and three years of operations services for each satellite. This move supports the Electro-Optical Infrared (EO/IR) Weather System (EWS) program.

This modification updates the existing contract for GA-EMS to design and deliver an operational EWS spacecraft. The satellite will include integrated EO/IR payloads, aiding the transition from the aging Defense Meteorological Support Program (DMSP) to newer, more efficient weather satellites.

Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS, highlighted the company's progress on the first EWS satellite and expressed enthusiasm for the build and integration of the second. GA-EMS is the prime contractor, responsible for the design, assembly, and testing of the spacecraft.

The team includes Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER) Inc. for weather expertise and Parsons Corporation for command and control support. Gregg Burgess, vice president of GA-EMS Space Systems, emphasized the importance of modern EO/IR satellites for accurate, uninterrupted weather data for military operations.