50.59 (+0.76) 
New Responder™ Concept Introduced at National Space Symposium
Date posted: 04/02/2009*
At the National Space Symposium this week, Raytheon unveiled Responder™, an innovative payload design concept featuring a suite of interchangeable mission-specific sensors that could be deployed rapidly to meet immediate customer needs.
The new concept offers electro-optical (EO) and radio frequency (RF) payload configurations and implements a more streamlined production capability for certain payloads. Because Responder's basic payload design employs standard plug-and-play technology for easy integration with the sensor, it can significantly reduce total program cost and schedule.
Responder is based on experience Raytheon gained through its fast-track ARTEMIS and Mini-RF programs. Both were designed, built and delivered within 18 months of contract initiation.
According to Bill Hart, vice president for the company’s Space Systems group, the Responder approach directly addresses the military’s defined need to effectively augment or reconstitute critical space capabilities and infuse them with new technologies and operational innovations. “With the basic building blocks matured through company-financed research and development and government contract work, we can respond swiftly to meet urgent customer needs,” he said.
Hart estimated that Responder production cycles would range between two and three years and cut costs 30 to 50 percent by enhancing efficiency in such areas as finance, supply chain management and contracts.
“Our experience on past programs -- completed in short time frames -- taught us a lot about what’s required, not only on the manufacturing floor, but throughout a program’s lifecycle,” Hart said. “That means streamlined processes that enable a program to start up quickly, keep it running efficiently, and deliver on a very aggressive schedule.”
Expecting a continued need for large-scale, “build-to-spec” space programs, Hart said production processes could be run simultaneously with the Responder programs.
“We believe Responder is going to revolutionize the way space gets done in the future,” Hart said. “By adding a more streamlined production capability for certain payloads, Responder will help to make access to space a more affordable routine than ever before.”
View the Press Release.
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