A new satellite that will track objects in orbit around the Earth is now expected to launch in late September, almost two years later than originally scheduled. The Space-Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) satellite was grounded first by concerns about software in the Minotaur IV rocket and then by a problem in some connectors in the rocket's electronics. Officials announced the second set of problems Thursday. They say there are no problems in the satellite itself. The SBSS system is a planned constellation of satellites and supporting ground infrastructure that will improve the ability of the United States Department of Defense to detect and track space objects in orbit around the Earth. The primary SBSS contractor, Boeing, characterizes some orbiting space objects as, "Potential future threats to the United States' space assets." The SBSS development work is being conducted by the United States Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center in El Segundo, California. The program manager has stated that the SBSS satellite operations center, "Will transform Space Situational Awareness by providing a gateway to a responsive, taskable sensor. This capability is key to enabling the event-driven operations concept of the future." The first "pathfinder" satellite of the SBSS system, originally scheduled to launch in December 2008 on a Minotaur IV rocket, was rescheduled for Spring of 2009, and was later rescheduled for launch on 22 Oct 2009 on Minotaur IV. The cause of the launch delays is problems with the booster, as the satellite is reportedly ready for launch. A launch expected for July 8, 2010 has been postponed. The program cost $823 million, including satellite, payload, launch, and ground support. The satellite and payload contracts to Ball Aerospace are approximately 40 percent of the total. The SBSS is designed to examine every spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit at least once a day. The Minotaur IV launch vehicle is a converted Peacekeeper ICBM, with the conversion and launch services provided by Orbital Sciences Corp. SBSS will be the first use of the full Minotaur IV, although a "Minotaur IV Lite" without the fourth stage was used in the failed suborbital launch of the Hypersonic Test Vehicle (HTV) in April. The SBSS satellite will launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. -- August 12, 2010