Satellite work to bring 20-30 jobs to Exelis in Fort Wayne

January 30, 2016

Satellite work to bring 20-30 jobs to Exelis in Fort Wayne

Bob Caylor

A federal contract for instrumentation in two weather satellites should bring 20-30 more jobs to Exelis Space Systems in Fort Wayne, said Harris Corporation, the parent company of Exelis.

Harris has received a $316 million contract modification to build two payloads for the fourth and fifth weather satellites in the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s Joint Polar Satellite System program.

The Cross-track Infrared Sounder instrument produces high-resolution, three-dimensional temperature, pressure and moisture profiles used to enhance weather-forecasting models.

These weather satellites are part of a collaborative effort between NOAA and NASA that ensures continuity of observational data at the quality levels needed to sustain current weather forecasts beyond 2017, Harris said in a press release on the project.