EPS-CAPS

EPS provides space-enabled, secure communications capabilities to polar users in support of national objectives. CAPS provides telemetry and control, mission planning, and cryptographic planning for the EPS payload. EPS provides continuous coverage in the polar region for secure, jam-resistant, strategic and tactical communications to support peacetime, contingency, homeland defense, humanitarian assistance, and wartime operations. The system includes Extremely High Frequency (EHF) satellite communications (SATCOM) payloads hosted on satellites operating in highly elliptical orbits, modified Advanced EHF communications terminals, a Gateway to provide connectivity into other communication systems and the Global Information Grid (GIG), and CAPS to provide independent EPS payload planning and control for military SATCOM users. The EPS network replaces the current Interim Polar System and serves as a polar adjunct to the Advanced EHF system for protected SATCOM services for the United States Department of Defense users.

CAPS is the primary means for commanding and receiving telemetry for the EPS payloads. CAPS provides execution of essential mission functions required for military tactical and strategic forces and other users for operations around the northern polar regions. With mission planning and configuration commanding from CAPS, EPS provides connectivity to Combatant Commander Command and Control (C2) centers operating in non-polar regions via the GIG.