EL SEGUNDO, Calif., June 7, 2005 /PRNewswire/ -- A "quick reaction" space optical payload with the potential to spot hidden targets is in development by Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) under terms of a $14-million contract awarded by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicle Directorate.

The ARTEMIS (Advanced Responsive Tactically Effective Military Imaging Spectrometer) program calls for Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems (SAS) to design and build a payload known as a hyper-spectral imaging sensor within 15 months as part of a rapid development experiment.

"The intent of the program is to help demonstrate the feasibility of the 'responsive-space' concept," said Dave Shingledecker, vice president for Strategic Systems. "Satellites would be launched on demand when needed, versus the current practice of maintaining an expensive fleet of long-life satellites in orbit."

In the responsive-space approach, satellites and their cargo would be kept in readiness in a holding facility where systems could be assembled and transported rapidly to a convenient launch site. "Conceivably, a system could be mounted on a satellite, launched and in orbit some 200 miles above Earth within three to seven days of a request by a field commander," Shingledecker said.

Raytheon plans to employ commercial-off-the-shelf components and industry standard interfaces extensively in developing the system.

"We expect this approach will lead to an order-of-magnitude reduction in overall space mission costs," Shingledecker said.

Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, with 2004 sales of $4 billion and headquarters in El Segundo, is a leading provider of sensor systems. The business employs more than 13,000 and has additional facilities in Goleta, Calif., Dallas, McKinney and Plano, Texas, and several international locations.

Raytheon Company, with 2004 sales of $20.2 billion, is an industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information technology, technical services and special-mission aircraft. Headquartered in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 80,000 people worldwide.

  Contact:
   Sabrina Steele
   310-647-9067

SOURCE: Raytheon Company

Web site: http://www.raytheon.com/