Boeing makes use of 3D printing to speed up manufacturing of WGS-11+ satellite tv for pc »

Boeing has begun constructing the most recent model of the Wideband World SATCOM satellite tv for pc system, WGS-11+, utilizing superior methods to successfully combine the most recent business expertise whereas enabling a high-paced five-year schedule that may ship years sooner than comparable clean-sheet designs. The satellite tv for pc is utilized by the US House Drive for army communications.

“We’re shifting at record-breaking pace to ship the unequalled resilience, effectivity, and throughput WGS-11+ provides our warfighters,” stated Col. Matt Spencer, House Methods Command Geosynchronous Earth Orbit and Polar Division Senior Materiel Chief. “Boeing’s potential to quickly in­­­­­tegrate the most recent business expertise into our infrastructure provides us a aggressive edge on the battlefield.”

Boeing and the U.S. House Drive accomplished the system’s important design assessment in late 2021, formally launching this system’s manufacturing section. Leveraging additive manufacturing, fast prototyping, agile improvement and different superior methods, Boeing has created value and schedule advantages whereas boosting system efficiency.

“We’re printing greater than a thousand components for WGS-11+, giving us the potential to introduce customization in a manner that improves system efficiency, with out requiring in depth integration occasions or custom-made tooling,” stated Troy Dawson, Boeing Authorities Satellite tv for pc Methods vice chairman. “We perceive how essential pace is to the mission. That manufacturing pace interprets to effectiveness towards threats. As we proceed to take a position our expertise and processes, we all know {that a} equally succesful satellite tv for pc might be delivered even sooner.”

WGS-11+ showcases an evolution in phased array expertise. Based mostly on Boeing’s advances on its business 702X software-defined satellite tv for pc payload, it’s able to producing a whole bunch of electronically-steered beams concurrently, offering customers with greater than twice the mission functionality in comparison with satellites throughout the present WGS fleet.

Like 702X, every particular person beam is shapeable and might be uniquely tailor-made to any operation, enabling elevated mission flexibility and responsiveness. Narrower beamwidths with dual-polarization distinctive to WGS-11+ assist shield towards jamming and interference whereas permitting higher frequency reuse.

When it joins the constellation of ten WGS satellites, WGS-11+ will considerably enhance the throughput capability of important communication companies for the U.S. authorities and its allies. It’s scheduled for supply in 2024.