PTR Group Developed Payload Now In Orbit Onboard TacSat-2

    /24-7PressRelease/ - HERNDON, VA - December 19, 2006 - The PTR Group Inc., a leading real-time and embedded technology and engineering services provider, today announced that one of the payloads it helped develop, the Target Indicator Experiment (TIE), was successfully launched today from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Va. TIE is a key payload on the AFRL (Air Force Research Laboratory) TacSat-2 Micro Satellite. The satellite was placed in orbit via a Minotaur I space launch vehicle. The PTR Group is one of the principal contributors working with the Naval Research Lab (NRL) in Washington, DC, to develop the TIE payload.

The TIE payload is a sensor suite capable of gathering a wide variety of RF signals, including the maritime Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal now required on large ships for port safety and homeland defense. It is a fully capable system that was built quickly and efficiently by combining custom hardware and custom software, with readily available COTS hardware and open source software. The PTR Group is the embedded systems specialist responsible for developing, porting and integrating the Linux kernel, device drivers, and other related system software that enabled the NRL engineers to concentrate on the RF mission. Leveraging open source was so effective that Copperfield-2 (an early version of the TIE payload) was featured on the April 2005 cover of the Linux Journal magazine, "Linux on a Small Satellite".

"We are thrilled about our role in this development, and what it will mean to the future of Operationally Responsive Space", said Todd Brackett, Company President/CEO. "Platforms like this will prove the viability of tactical support from space on a quick-turn basis for the future. The PTR Group is proud to be a team member that assisted in realizing these goals."

In addition to the TIE payload on the TacSat-2 Micro Satellite, the PTR Group has been instrumental in developing software for the TacSat-1 bus and Copperfield-2 payload slated for an upcoming launch in 2007.

About The PTR Group

The PTR Group is an experienced team of technical professionals specializing in embedded and real-time systems solutions and services. These services include hardware and software development, prototype development, consulting and training exclusively for the needs of the embedded and real-time markets. Our engineers average over 16 years of experience in embedded and real-time development. Headquartered in Northern Virginia, the crossroads of the Internet, the company is privately held by the founders and employees. For more information about The PTR Group, please visit www.ThePTRGroup.com, or call 703.858.4723.

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