SAIC Completes Integrated Testing of Commercially-Hosted Infrared Payload for U.S. Air Force

MCLEAN, Va., Nov. 3, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) (NYSE: SAI) today announced that the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), SES WORLD SKIES U.S. Government Solutions, Orbital Sciences Corporation (Orbital), and SAIC team recently completed the Commercially-Hosted Infrared Payload (CHIRP) Integrated Sensor Functional Test.

This is the first test demonstrating the high-level functionality of the CHIRP sensor, operating through the Orbital Secondary Payload Interface (SPI), and commanded from the CHIRP Mission Analysis Center (CMAC) interface, located in Seal Beach, Calif. The CMAC monitored activities from Orbital as the team successfully passed test images through the system. The CHIRP sensor was delivered to Orbital by SAIC in July.

CHIRP utilizes a telescope that can view a quarter of the Earth from geosynchronous orbit, and is capable of high frame rate imaging in four specific spectral bands. The large format focal plane arrays accommodate a wide-field-of-view infrared staring system, and at the same time reduce cost and complexity.  

Developed and delivered in less than two years, the CHIRP wide-field-of-view Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) system is the result of collaboration between the SMC, U.S. Air Force (USAF) Research Laboratory, SES, Orbital and SAIC.

This is the first time a USAF payload is a secondary payload on a commercial mission, which reduces total system costs through the use of a previously-developed commercial satellite.  

"The ongoing success of this program is proof-of-concept that a variety of government missions can be served by special purpose payloads hosted on commercial spacecraft," said Stu Shea, SAIC group president. "The space-qualified payload enables our Air Force customer to field the required capability in a rapid-response fashion, and demonstrates that the acquisition process can acquire and field important space capabilities."

About SAIC

SAIC is a FORTUNE 500® scientific, engineering, and technology applications company that uses its deep domain knowledge to solve problems of vital importance to the nation and the world, in national security, energy and the environment, critical infrastructure, and health.  The company's approximately 45,000 employees serve customers in the U.S. Department of Defense, the intelligence community, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, other U.S. Government civil agencies and selected commercial markets.  Headquartered in McLean, Va., SAIC had annual revenues of $10.8 billion for its fiscal year ended January 31, 2010.  For more information, visit www.saic.com.  SAIC:  From Science to Solutions®

Statements in this announcement, other than historical data and information, constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in SAIC's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended January 31, 2010, and other such filings that SAIC makes with the SEC from time to time. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.

SOURCE SAIC