Nolan’s Notes: Everyone Has Their Eye on India
Standard of Excellence: The Human Touch in an Automated World
The Government Circuit: Navigating New Trade Headwinds and New Partnerships
U.S. Space Force SMC Awards ASTRA EO/IR Mission to Support U.S. Warfighter
July 28, 2020 | PR NewswireEstimated reading time: 1 minute
The U.S. Space Force's (USSF) Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) has selected ASTRA, LLC to develop and demonstrate an Electro-Optical / Infrared (EO/IR) LEO-based cloud characterization solution that supports U.S. warfighter operations.
Striving to bridge gaps and improve functionality of Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) systems, USSF SMC sought a commercial prototype EO/IR Weather System (EWS) mission capable of characterizing global clouds in near real-time to support Department of Defense operations.
"An industry leader in space science technology and research, ASTRA is proud to be chosen by the U.S. Space Force to provide our Rapid Revisit Optical Cloud Imager (RROCI) system to deliver near-real time cloud characterization data in support of the warfighter," says Bill Baker, ASTRA Sr. Vice President of Data Solutions.
SMC selected ASTRA, in collaboration with Lockheed Martin, Science and Technology Corporation, Pumpkin Inc., and Atmospheric & Environmental Research (AER), for the first phase of the EWS mission to design, develop, and demonstrate its 8-channel RROCI prototype. ASTRA's imager will utilize commercial off-the-shelf systems to produce cloud characterization, mitigate weather risk, provide theater weather, and comparison of payload outputs to existing satellite data from a 12U satellite that meets USSF mission requirements.
"USSF SMC seeks an agile, cost-effective technology to provide timely, mission-critical information to the warfighter – ASTRA's proposed prototype will achieve this," explains Dr. Scott Jensen, the project's principal investigator and ASTRA Sr. Vice President for Technology. "Our solution assures easy implementation and rapid refresh of new technology into the architecture as required, and will meet both government and commercial SBEM requirements."
ASTRA's proposed solution will provide a cost-effective and agile demonstration mission, reducing risk and demonstrating readily available commercial technology that meets USSF's required operational mission capabilities.
Share on:
Testimonial
"The I-Connect007 team is outstanding—kind, responsive, and a true marketing partner. Their design team created fresh, eye-catching ads, and their editorial support polished our content to let our brand shine. Thank you all! "
Sweeney Ng - CEE PCBSuggested Items
DARPA, State of New Mexico Establish Framework to Advance Quantum Computing
09/08/2025 | DARPAAs part of the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI), DARPA signed an agreement with the State of New Mexico’s Economic Development Department to create the Quantum Frontier Project.
LPKF Strengthens LIDE Technology Leadership with New Patent Protection in Korea
09/04/2025 | LPKFLPKF Laser & Electronics SE today announced that its groundbreaking LIDE (Laser Induced Deep Etching) technology has received additional patent protection in Korea through the Korean Patent Office (KPCA), effective September 1, 2025.
UHDI Fundamentals: UHDI Technology and Industry 4.0
09/03/2025 | Anaya Vardya, American Standard CircuitsUltra high density interconnect (UHDI) technology is rapidly transforming how smart systems are designed and deployed in the context of Industry 4.0. With its capacity to support highly miniaturized, high-performance, and densely packed electronics, UHDI is a critical enabler of the smart, connected, and automated industrial future. Here, I’ll explore the synergy between UHDI and Industry 4.0 technologies, highlighting applications, benefits, and future directions.
CEE PCB Launches PCBpedia: A New Knowledge Hub for Circuit Board Technology
09/03/2025 | CEE PCBCEE PCB, a leading manufacturer of PCBs and FPCs, is responding to the growing demand for reliable technical knowledge. With PCBpedia, CEE introduces a new knowledge platform featuring expert articles on key topics in circuit board technology – from FPC design rules to surface finishes.
Coming Soon: The Advanced Electronics Packaging Digest
08/27/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007The upcoming Advanced Electronics Packaging Digest is a curated, condensed monthly publication designed to keep you informed and engaged with the fast-moving world of advanced electronics packaging (AEP). In our inaugural September issue, we will begin at the foundation with an in-depth interview featuring Matt Kelly, CTO of the Global Electronics Association. Kelly and his Technology Solutions Team approach advanced packaging from a holistic systems perspective.