Parsons unveils new satellite antenna aimed at military market

WASHINGTON — Parsons Corporation is rolling out a new satellite ground antenna, targeting a market opening left by the Space Force's recent cancellation of a planned antenna procurement.

Developed in collaboration with Raven Defense, the SPARTAN antenna — short for S-Band Phased Array Receive and Transmit Antenna Node — combines a six-meter parabolic dish with an electronically steered phased-array feed. The S-band frequency is commonly used for telemetry, tracking and command, the links that allow operators to control satellites and monitor their status.

Parsons, a defense and intelligence contractor based in Chantilly, Virginia, is positioning the antenna to address a demand for commercial alternatives after the Space Force canceled a $1.7 billion procurement of advanced phased-array antennas, a program known as Satellite Communications Augmentation Resource, or SCAR.