Sun equips satellite control

The Air Force will use Sun Microsystems Inc. hardware for tracking and controlling communications satellites, the company announced Tuesday.

Sun will provide midrange enterprise servers and UltraSPARC workstations for the Command and Control System-Consolidated (CCS-C) program. CSC-C formerly was known as the Military Satellite Communications Integrated Satellite Control System.

The Sun equipment will perform data collection, storage and calculation capabilities that are instrumental in safely tracking, monitoring and positioning satellites controlled by the CCS-C.

"Tracking and controlling satellites is a highly complex process that requires a rigorous balance between system performance and high availability," Thomas Kreidler, vice president of Sun's public-sector area.

TRW Inc. is prime contractor for the first phase of the program. After a demonstration later this year, a single contractor will be chosen for the second phase, an eight-year program to replace the aging command and control segment currently supporting satellite operations at Air Force Space Command.