The second mobile user objective system (MUOS) satellite built by Lockheed Martin for the US Navy is responding to commands after being launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The Lockheed Martin-led initialisation team is now commanding the satellite from the Naval Satellite Operations Center located at the Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, California.

The MUOS constellation replaces the legacy ultra high frequency (UHF) followon system and delivers secure, prioritised voice and data communications, a first for mobile users who need high-speed mission data on the go.

“MUOS is providing capability for mobile users that never existed before,” said Iris Bombelyn, Lockheed Martin Vice President of Narrowband Communications. “We look forward to testing and delivering the second satellite of the MUOS constellation to our Navy customer. This on-orbit testing will prove the MUOS system capabilities and allow us to deliver the full suite of services available through the MUOS payloads, on MUOS-1 as well as MUOS-2.”

The first MUOS satellite, launched in 2012, has been providing high quality legacy voice communications for users, and terminals are already testing using the advanced payload that enables data exchanges. More than 20,000 existing terminals are compatible with and can access the MUOS legacy payload, and with the release of the new waveform developed for increased datahandling capacity, many of these terminals can be retro fitted to access the wideband code division multiple access payload.