Harris Corporation Completes Major Review for GOES-R Satellite Ground Segment Contract
November 09 2009 - 8:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
New System Will Significantly Speed Severe Weather Prediction for
Faster Response WASHINGTON and MELBOURNE, Fla., Nov. 9
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS), an
international communications and information technology company,
successfully completed the first milestone in a National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) program that will process 40
times more data than is possible today, and deliver weather images
to more than 10,000 direct users. The Systems Requirements Review
of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite -- Series
R Ground Segment (GOES-R GS) program was completed recently in
Melbourne, Florida. The review ensures the system's functional and
performance requirements and its preliminary program plan satisfy
the GOES-R mission. The ground segment of the GOES-R program
encompasses receiving and processing of satellite data, generating
and distributing of products from satellite data, and command and
control of operational satellites. Harris is the prime contractor
and systems integrator for the 10-year, potential $736 million
contract. "This milestone establishes a common understanding of all
of the requirements the GOES-R ground segment must meet during
development, deployment and operation," said Ray Thorpe, vice
president of GOES-R programs at Harris Government Communications
Systems. "The successful completion of this review brings us one
step closer to fielding a weather prediction system that will give
forecasters an unprecedented edge when dealing with dangerous
weather conditions." Today's GOES satellites provide the images and
time-lapse sequences familiar to most Americans in television
weather forecasts. They are the primary tool used by NOAA to detect
and track hurricanes, thunderstorms, tornadoes and other severe
weather in the continental U.S. and western hemisphere. The
next-generation GOES-R system will provide significantly improved
image resolution. It will increase the rate of imagery coverage of
earth surfaces from every 30 minutes to every five minutes in
normal conditions -- and every 30 seconds during severe weather
events. Members of the Harris GOES-R GS team include Atmospheric
and Environmental Research Inc., Boeing Mission Systems, Carr
Astronautics, Honeywell Technology Solutions, Wyle Information
Systems LLC, and Applied Research and Engineering Sciences. The
team is providing a service-based, open-architecture solution to
accommodate the anticipated 40-times increase in data to be taken
in, processed and distributed to more than 10,000 direct users. The
first launch of a GOES-R series satellite is scheduled for 2015.
Harris is a recognized leader in satellite ground data processing
and mission command-and-control systems. The company's ground data
processing systems consist of complex suites of hardware and
software that receive sensor data from satellites, turning it into
useable information. The company's command-and-control systems
feature commercial-off-the-shelf design and high levels of
flexibility. Designed for government and commercial applications,
they support single-satellite missions, as well as some of the
largest and most complex satellite fleets deployed today. About
Harris Corporation Harris is an international communications and
information technology company serving government and commercial
markets in more than 150 countries. Headquartered in Melbourne,
Florida, the company has approximately $5 billion of annual revenue
and more than 15,000 employees -- including nearly 7,000 engineers
and scientists. Harris is dedicated to developing best-in-class
assured communications® products, systems, and services. Additional
information about Harris Corporation is available at
http://www.harris.com/. Forward-Looking Statements This press
release contains forward-looking statements that reflect
management's current expectations, assumptions and estimates of
future performance and economic conditions. Such statements are
made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of
the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. The company cautions investors that any
forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties
that may cause actual results and future trends to differ
materially from those matters expressed in or implied by such
forward-looking statements. Statements about the expected value of
the program to Harris are forward-looking and involve risks and
uncertainties. Harris disclaims any intention or obligation to
update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events, or otherwise. DATASOURCE:
Harris Corporation CONTACT: Jim Burke of Harris Corporation,
+1-321-727-9131, , or Marc Raimondi, of Harris Corporation -
Washington, DC, +1-202-729-3732, Web Site: http://www.harris.com/
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