Space Systems/Loral And Northrop Grumman Agree To Pursue Satellite Opportunities

(27 February 2008) Northrop Grumman Corporation and Space Systems/Loral today announced that they are pursuing a group of initiatives that stands to broaden each company's opportunities to provide the U.S. government with cost competitive satellite systems.

The resulting agreement also will enable Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) to expand its manufacturing capacity as needed, in order to address near-term increased satellite demand, through use of the satellite test facilities and services at Northrop Grumman facilities in Redondo Beach, Calif.

Both companies will pursue efforts involving strategic collaborations in these major areas:

• SS/L access to integration and test facilities in order to expand its commercial satellite production capacity
• Collaboration on future projects enabling Northrop Grumman's Space Technology sector to use the flexible, space-proven SS/L 1300 satellite platform and other SS/L built components for future space system procurements
• The joint pursuit of hosted payload opportunities for government applications. Payloads designed and built by Northrop Grumman's Space Technology sector to be hosted on commercial satellites produced by SS/L.
• A collaboration between Northrop Grumman's Astro Aerospace business unit in Carpinteria, Calif., producer of AstroMesh reflectors, with SS/L for future commercial satellite applications

"The agreement with Northrop Grumman will allow SS/L to cost-effectively add capacity to address increased near-term commercial satellite opportunities," said Pat DeWitt, chief executive officer, Space Systems/Loral. "The agreement will also streamline the process for our companies to collaborate on providing the world's best satellites for both civil and defence applications."

"The resulting strategic agreement will be important to increasing our competitiveness. These initiatives will present win-win opportunities for both companies and our U.S. government customers," said Alexis Livanos, corporate vice president and president of the company's Space Technology sector. "For some of our mission areas, we believe that assured access to SS/L's 1300 bus and bus subsystems would improve our cost and delivery schedule competitiveness. In addition, hosted payloads hold the promise of providing us greater ability and flexibility to rapidly respond to our government customers' evolving needs."

(source: Northrop Grumman Corporation)

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