Exelis (NYSE:
XLS) has been awarded a contract by NASA worth up to $208 million to
build the Radiation
Budget Instrument (RBI), a satellite payload that will improve
scientific understanding of climate change. The contract includes one
flight unit with options for two more instruments and associated support.
RBI will provide more accurate measurements of reflected sunlight and
thermal radiation emitted by Earth than the Clouds
and Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) instrument currently
flying on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite.
Exelis has a proven track record of performance, expertise and
innovation in remote sensing systems, such as RBI, as part of its
intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and analytics strategic
growth platform.
“Through advances in technology and calibration techniques, RBI will
improve our understanding of clouds and their role in the atmosphere,
which is essential for longer-term weather forecasts and improving
climate models,” said Eric Webster, vice president of weather systems
for Exelis. “RBI data will also play a critically important short-term
meteorological role, providing fundamental inputs to weather forecasts
of 10 days or longer.”
Observations from RBI will help measure the effect of clouds on the
Earth’s energy balance, which strongly influences both weather and
climate. Long-term satellite data from RBI will help scientists and
researchers understand the links between the Earth’s incoming and
outgoing energy, as well as properties of the atmosphere that affect the
energy balance. They will also be used to develop a quantitative
understanding of the links between Earth’s radiation budget and the
properties of the atmosphere and surface that define that budget.
RBI will be included on the second Joint
Polar Satellite System (JPSS) spacecraft, which is planned for
launch in 2021. JPSS, a joint NOAA/NASA program, represents several
significant technical and scientific advances in environmental
monitoring, and will help advance weather, climate, environmental and
oceanographic science. Exelis is also building the CrIS
instruments for the JPSS program.
About Exelis
Exelis is a diversified, top-tier global aerospace, defense, information
and services company that leverages a 50-year legacy of deep customer
knowledge and technical expertise to deliver affordable,
mission-critical solutions for global customers. We are a leader in
positioning and navigation, sensors, air traffic management solutions,
image processing and distribution, communications and information
systems; and focused on strategic growth in the areas of critical
networks, ISR and analytics, electronic warfare and composite
aerostructures. Headquartered in McLean, Va., Exelis employs about
17,000 people and generated 2013 sales of $4.8 billion. For more
information, visit our website at www.exelisinc.com or
connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Copyright Business Wire 2014