Integral Systems will establish the GOES Backup Acquisition, Command, and Control Station for NOAA's NESDIS (National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service). Integral's Vice President of NOAA Programs, Patrick Woods, noted that the award of this contract "is directly attributable to Integral Systems' technical approach, the expertise and reputation of our staff, and our track record of delivering NOAA systems on-schedule and within budget." The new backup center will support NOAA if the GOES Command and Data Station located on Wallops Island, Virginia, becomes inoperative due to a catastrophic event.

Founded in 1992, Integral Systems is a leading provider of satellite ground systems and has supported over 90 different satellite missions for communications, science, meteorological, and Earth resource applications. Customers throughout the world are now using Integral Systems' EPOCH 2000 software product, the world's first commercial-off-the-shelf satellite command and control software package. The OASYS (Orbit Analysis System) module of EPOCH 2O00 is also sold as a stand-alone product and allows operators to perform satellite orbit determination and control. In addition to these products, the company provides systems for satellite payload processing, simulation, and environmental monitoring. Revenues were $20.l million in FY1997. Integral Systems has more than l70 employees working at company headquarters in Lanham, Maryland, and at other U.S. locations.