Lockheed 
Martin technicians will begin assembling the GeoEye-2 Earth-imaging satellite at the company’s facility in Sunnydale, Calif., upon arrival of the satellite’s integrated propulsion system by month’s end, announced the company. “Completion of the propulsion system installation and the start of vehicle integration is a critical step forward in maintaining GeoEye-2’s schedule of on-orbit operations in 2013,” said Allen Anderson, Lockheed’s GeoEye-2 program director. Lockheed is building the satellite for GeoEye—a commercial satellite imagery provider headquartered in Herndon, Va.—under a fixed-price contract. Due to launch aboard an Atlas V booster next year, GeoEye-2 will move more quickly between assignments and collect imagery more rapidly than previous satellites using its modern high-resolution sensor, according to the companies. “It’s remarkable that we formalized our agreement with Lockheed Martin almost exactly one year ago,” said Bill Schuster, GeoEye chief operating officer. (See also GeoEye-2 Passes Milestone.)
China thinks it will be able to invade Taiwan by 2027 and has developed a technology edge in many key areas—but it is artificial intelligence that may be the decisive factor should conflict erupt, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said.