A satellite expected to last four years is still going after five years in orbit, so its replacement won’t have to be launched immediately, Lockheed Martin Corp. [LMT] stated.
The bird is the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Flight 16 (F16) Block 5D-3 spacecraft.
This bird continues to provide critical weather data to the warfighter. The constellation of satellites was built under contract for the Air Force and is operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Because the satellite still is going strong, its replacement won’t launch to space as soon as expected.
The U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base postponed the planned launch this month of the replacement F18 DMSP spacecraft, preserving future launch options.