Posted: Thu, Feb 28, 2008, 6:47 AM ET (1147 GMT)
![SS/Loral 1300 satellite illustration (SS/Loral)](/images/ssl1300.jpg)
Northrop Grumman and Space Systems/Loral announced Wednesday that the two companies will work together on future spacecraft proposals for the US government. Under the agreement, SS/Loral will offer its 1300-series satellite bus, used for commercial communications satellites, to Northrop Grumman for use on future government spacecraft procurements. Northrop will allow SS/Loral to use its integration and test facilities to aid SS/Loral, which has sought to expand its manufacturing and test facilities in response to strong commercial demand. The two companies will also cooperate on placing government "hosted payloads" on SS/Loral-built commercial spacecraft.