Leidos books $117M FAA satellite development order

Leidos has won a $117 million task order to develop a satellite used by the Federal Aviation Administration to help navigate aircraft in all phases of flight.

This order covers the future seventh geostationary earth orbit satellite the FAA uses for its Wide Area Augmentation System that works to help airplanes use GPS throughout the flight, including approaches to airports.

Dubbed "GEO 7," the satellite is scheduled to launch during the first quarter of 2020, Leidos said Monday. A follow-on operational phase over 10 years then starts in 2021.

The order has a four-year development phase followed by the operational phase. 

Teammate Intelsat General will act as space segment provider, while other technology partners U.S. Electrodynamics and Knight Sky will develop, test and integrate a payload for the new satellite and associated ground uplink stations. '

Leidos will manage the ground stations in an effort to ensure the satellite sends GPS navigation signals to aircraft.