Revolution on hold

摘要

The first satellite in a long-delayed U.S. military communications constellation is about to go into orbit, but the revolution it promises will be delayed at least a few months. That's because the waveform software and ground radios for the dollar7 billion Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), designed to enable cellular telephonelike communications, won't be ready until year's end. Even the imminent launch of the first of the Lockheed Martin-built MUOS satellites won't be of much immediate help. If the satellite reaches orbit as planned in February, it will be parked over the Pacific Ocean for about six months of tests and system checks before its operational slot is determined, according to Steven A. Davis, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command spokesman.