The Department of the Air Force is talking with international partners to share costs for the launch of a new wideband satellite, Space News reported Tuesday.
Keith Anderson, business and financial manager for military satcom international partners at U.S. Space Systems Command, said DAF and its partners on the Wideband Global Satcom system discussed cost management for the new WGS-11+ satellite’s launch.
Congress had to add $600 million for WGS-11+, as the Pentagon originally planned to purchase 10 WGS satellites. DAF awarded Boeing a $605 million contract modification in 2019 for the 11th WGS satellite, which is scheduled for launch in 2024.
Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Luxembourg compose DAF’s international partners for the WGS program. DAF also formed a separate, bilateral agreement with the government of Australia, which did not sign the program’s multilateral agreement on launch costs.
The U.S. Space Force announced the completion of WGS-11+’s critical design review earlier this month.
