Overview
TSAT is a major element of a secure, high-capacity global communications network serving the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA and the Intelligence Community. It is an enabler of Network Centric Warfare that will facilitate defense and intelligence professionals in making rapid decisions based on integrated, comprehensive information.
Capabilities
TSAT will provide survivable, protected high capacity Internet-like connectivity for Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (AISR), Communications On The Move (COTM) services, and protected strategic communications. The system will be interoperable with deployed and infrastructure networks and will provide superior network information assurance.
Boeing's Role
Boeing's Best of Industry Team includes industry and world leaders in networking and telecommunications coupled with leading aerospace expertise in the development of advanced MILSATCOM capabilities. The Boeing team includes Raytheon, Ball Aerospace, General Dynamics, Cisco Systems, IBM, L-3 Communications, BBN Technologies, Hughes Network Systems, Lucent Technologies, Harris, EMS Technologies, and Alpha Informatics.
The risk reduction and system definition study contract, awarded to Boeing in January 2004, will continue through 2007. The government will then select a single contractor to proceed with development, culminating with a first launch early in the next decade. Supported by a constellation of satellites in geosynchronous orbit, TSAT will provide the backbone of the DoD's high-bandwidth networked communications.
For more information, read the TSAT (PDF) overview.
If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader for reading PDF files, it is available for free from Adobe.