Tuesday, May 20, 2008

GeoEye Scheduled to Launch Next-Generation Earth Imaging Satellite August 22, 2008


 GeoEye, Inc., a premier provider of satellite, aerial and geospatial information, announced an August 22, 2008 launch date for its next-generation, earth imaging satellite GeoEye-1. Boeing Launch Services and GeoEye finalized this launch date in an amendment to the Launch Service Agreement that was signed on May 7, 2008.
GeoEye-1 remains at the Gilbert, Ariz. facility of General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, GeoEye's prime contractor and integrator for the satellite bus and telescope. The satellite will be shipped in early July to Vandenberg Air Force Base in time to support the August launch on a United Launch Alliance Delta II vehicle.

Bill Schuster, GeoEye's chief operating officer, said, "This contract amendment is an important step on the road to launch. The satellite was completed on budget, without any change orders which often increase costs. We have and will continue to conduct exercises, rehearsals, training and other risk-reduction measures to support the new launch date of August 22, 2008."

"GeoEye-1 demonstrates that high performing imaging satellites can be developed within predictable cost and schedule objectives," said David Shingledecker, vice president and general manager of integrated space systems for General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems. "The maturity level achieved with GeoEye-1 significantly lowers risk in the development of future imaging satellites of this class for both commercial and government customers."

GeoEye assembled a team of contractors with virtually a 100-percent mission success record. ITT's Space Systems Division (Rochester, NY) built the sensor or camera. GeoEye-1 will be lifted into a near-polar orbit by a United Launch Alliance Delta II launch vehicle provided by Boeing Launch Services (Huntington Beach, Calif.).

Learn More about the Satellite

For more information about GeoEye-1 please visit: http://launch.geoeye.com/.

Source : http://geoeye.mediaroom.com/

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