CARPINTERIA, Calif., Oct. 30, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) announced its selection of Astro Aerospace, a Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) company, to design and manufacture the radar antenna for its NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite.

NISAR will be the first radar imaging satellite to use dual L-Band and S-Band frequencies, providing an unprecedented, detailed view of Earth. NISAR is designed to observe some of the planet’s most complex processes, including ecosystem disturbances, ice-sheet dynamics, and natural hazards such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and landslides. Data collected from NISAR will reveal information about the evolution and state of the Earth’s crust, help scientists better understand our planet’s processes and changing climate, and aid future resource and hazard management. The mission is a partnership between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

With 100 percent on orbit success since 1958, Astro Aerospace brings unmatched expertise in space hardware and deployable structures to NISAR. Astro Aerospace will use its proprietary AstroMesh® deployable mesh reflector for NISAR’s 12-meter aperture antenna, building an ultralight and extremely stiff reflector that is ideally suited for high frequency communications and radar applications.

“We are very proud to once again work with JPL and support an incredibly important Earth science program,” said John A. Alvarez, general manager, Astro Aerospace. “The reflector is based on AstroMesh® technology, which is lighter, stiffer and inherently more accurate than competing technologies.”

This program award follows the very successful deployment and spin up of JPL’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite, launched Jan. 31, 2015. Astro supplied the 6-meter antenna for SMAP, the largest spinning reflector ever created.

Since 1958, Astro Aerospace (www.northropgrumman.com/astro) has helped enable complex missions to Earth orbit, Mars and beyond with its innovative deployable space structures and mechanisms. The business unit’s products have been successfully deployed on hundreds of space flights with a 100 percent success rate, a testament to Northrop Grumman’s commitment to reliability, quality and affordability.

Northrop Grumman’s aerospace products business unit offers advanced capabilities to customers on earth and in space, and is a leader in bringing new technology to market. Their expertise ranges from high powered lasers and adaptive optics to microelectronics and reliable space products. Delivered via agile, focused business units, the Aerospace Products team works with commercial and government customers worldwide. Visit: http://www.northropgrumman.com/aps for more information.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

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