Orbcomm: the next generation

Orbcomm's constellation of 34 37-kg microsatellites handling data transmissions, such as tracking vehicle locations, is aging out. The company has now picked a contractor for the next generation. Sierra Nevada Corporation, owner of MicroSat Systems, created a team including MicroSat, Boeing Intelligence and Security Systems, and ITT Space Systems to build the new constellation. There will be 18 satellites in the new constellation, with 12 times the data capacity of the groundbreaking original system. The contract is valued at $117M.