2/6/2007 - LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNEWS) -- Air Force officials announced Feb. 6 the successful launch and delivery for operational service of the second Interim Polar System payload.
With this placement of the second of three planned IPS payloads, the extremely high frequency constellation is at full operational capability, providing 24-hour EHF communications coverage of the northern polar region.
"The capabilities provided by the Interim Polar System will give U.S. forces located in the polar region a critical asset for seamless communications with both CONUS-based combatant commanders and separate force elements located above the Arctic Circle," said Brig. Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, the Military Satellite Communications Systems Wing commander.
The system provides secure EHF communications connectivity for support of peacetime, contingency and wartime operations. The payloads are produced by Boeing Satellite Systems in El Segundo, Calif., and hosted on a classified platform in a highly elliptical orbit. Initial operational capability of the IPS was achieved in 1998 with the launch of the first payload, which is still providing uninterrupted service. The third payload will replace the first payload to maintain full operational capability of the system.
Author's Notes: Project 4052 - Interim Polar System
IPS or Polar Milsatsom provides protected communications (anti jam, anti scintillation, and low probablillity of intercept) for tactical users in the north polar region. Project 4052, Polar Satellite Communications, consist of scaled-down low data rate Milstar packages on three classified host satellites as an expedited, interim solution to protected communications requirements in the north polar region.
Polar MILSATCOM is studying the feasibility of maintaining some sort of Interim Polar communications capability beyond the original three host satellites.
These studies have involved the Enhanced Polar System (EPS) which will provide joint, interoperable and protected satellite communications in the northern polar region to user terminals compatible with the Advanced EHF satellite system, which is now in flight production.
The new military satellite communications system would replace the current Interim Polar System, which is limited to Milstar-compatible low-data rate service.
The EPS payload, using Advanced EHF's advanced XDR waveforms, will provide much higher data rates, extended high-gain coverage and will be interoperable with next-generation Advanced EHF-compatible sea-based, ground and airborne user terminals.
The existing IPS payloads provides EHF low data rate (75 bps to 256 kbps) communications to users above 65 degrees north latitude by using satellites in high elliptical orbit (HEO) or known as Molniya orbits. IPS supports combatant commands and NATO missions with C2, DISN, and essential targeting information.
Based on information in the public domain and my DoD Satellite database here is the data on the satellites I believe are carrying the IPS EHF package.
USA 137 / 1998-005A / 25148 / SDS III-1/Capricorn 1
Launched 1/29/1998 at 18:37 UTC from ETR LC36A aboard an Atlas 2A rocket.
The second satellite launch that is the subject of this press release above by the USAF is a bit of a mystery. Based on a quick review of all my sources this morning, there was no launch from the ETR yesterday (Feb 6) despite what this article implies.
My best guess is that the IPS payload mentioned above was carried on a HEO milsat launched last year that is just now coming online for operation. The only satellite platform that fits this bill is USA 184 NROL-22/SBIRS HEO-1, 2006-027A 29249 launched on June 28. 2006.