LightRidge Solutions’ Post

L3Harris Technologies received a contract with a potential value of up to $919 million to design and build 18 #infrared #spacevehicles for the Space Development Agency Tranche 2 (T2) Tracking Layer program that will provide #near-#global #missile #warning and #tracking #coverage. L3Harris designed the missile defense solutions to support the U.S. military’s ongoing effort to build a robust #constellation of satellites to #protect against a new generation of #hypersonic weapons that have increased #speed, #unpredictable flight #trajectories and #faintheat #signatures. The company’s technology will also support #preliminary #firecontrol capability for the SDA’s #ProliferatedWarfighter Space Architecture (#PWSA).

"The contract will support Space Systems Command’s Program Executive Office for Space Sensing, which is responsible for the service’s missile warning, weather monitoring and 'persistent tactical surveillance' programs, according to a Space Force fact sheet." #elaranova #spaceindustry #spacetechnology #nationalsecurityspace #nationalsecurity #nationaldefense #SpaceForce #USSF #Pentagon #ISR #missilewarning #aerospace #aerospaceindustry

The Missile Defense Agency confirmed that a national security space mission that had been projected to launch in December 2023 is being delayed until the second quarter of 2024 due to technical issues with one of the spacecraft. “One vendor’s space vehicle was ready to support a December 2023 launch; however, the launch was delayed to no earlier than the second quarter of fiscal year 2024 due to technical issues encountered by the other vendor during final integration testing,” MDA spokesman Mark Wright said in a statement. MDA’s national security mission, designated USSF-124, includes six satellites designed to track hypersonic missiles. Four of the satellites are missile-tracking sensors made by L3Harris for the Space Development Agency’s Tracking Layer constellation. The other two satellites — one made by L3Harris and the other by Northrop Grumman — are part of MDA’s Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) program. https://crgroupinc.com - contact@crgroupinc.com. #IL - #DC - #VA - #Dubai #mda #dod #nsa #nationalsecurity #satellitetechnology #satellitetech #missiledefense #hypersonics

The Space Development Agency (#SDA) is developing a separate ground system for the #FOOFighter fire control satellites, aiming for readiness by December 2026. This system will support high-fidelity tracking of adversary missiles and provide precise coordinates for missile defense interceptors. As a two-time military veteran and #astrophysicist with experience as a #CyberWarfareEngineer, I see this as a crucial advancement for #missiledefense, enhancing both tracking and response capabilities. The initiative involves creating a developmental operations center at #RedstoneArsenal, focusing on ground entry points, cloud hosting, and IT resources. The project, initially planned under the #ProliferatedWarfighterSpaceArchitecture, has been refined based on industry feedback to better manage the complexity and diverse requirements of the systems involved. By establishing a dedicated ground system for fire control, the SDA ensures that future satellites can operate with high precision and reliability. This move strengthens the #SpaceForce's ability to protect national security interests in an increasingly contested space environment. https://lnkd.in/gKFMEUET #SDA #FOOFighter #FireControl #MissileDefense #RedstoneArsenal #ProliferatedWarfighterSpaceArchitecture #SpaceForce #CyberWarfareEngineer #NationalSecurity #SpaceOperations #GroundSystems #CloudHosting #ITResources

The Missile Defense Agency (#MDA) and Space Development Agency (#SDA) confirmed the successful launch of six #satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space by SpaceX's #falcon9 rocket. The launches include two satellites for MDA’s #hypersonic and ballistic tracking #spacesensor and the four tracking layer satellites of its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (#PWSA) were safely delivered to orbit and are conducting initial testing and checkout. The space sensor prototypes reportedly provide fire control quality data required to defeat advanced missile threats and are designed to enable effective engagement of threats, such as hypersonic glide-phase weapons, by missile defence weapons. The sensors are reportedly able to detect hypersonic, ballistic and other advanced threats earlier than terrestrial #radars; which can then be handed over to linked #missiledefence weapons.

The most critical element of the #NDAA #legislation involves the need for connection between the #hypersonic glide phase #interceptor itself and a #constellation of #satellites capable of transmitting target track data to the interceptor. The Northrop Grumman system, called the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (#HBTSS), involves a “meshed” network of Medium and Low Earth Orbit satellites able to operate as disaggregated, yet networked “node” capable to establish a target track on otherwise “beyond-line-of-sight” targets such as fast moving hypersonic weapons. This network of satellites is engineered to track the flight trajectory of an incoming hypersonic weapon as it transits from one sensor or #radar aperture to another. This is the critical challenge, as hypersonic weapons are known to travel so fast that it is, at the moment, not possible to maintain a “continuous” track given the speed with which a hypersonic projectile transits from one “field of regard” to another. This challenge is what HBTSS is engineered to address.

« The Missile Defense Agency confirmed that a national security space mission that had been projected to launch in December 2023 is being delayed until the second quarter of 2024 due to technical issues with one of the #spacecraft. “One vendor’s #space vehicle was ready to support a December 2023 launch; however, the launch was delayed to no earlier than the second quarter of fiscal year 2024 due to technical issues encountered by the other vendor during final integration testing,” MDA spokesman Mark Wright said in a statement. MDA’s national security mission, designated USSF-124, includes six satellites designed to track #hypersonic missiles. Four of the #satellites are missile-tracking sensors made by L3Harris for the Space Development Agency’s Tracking Layer #constellation. The other two satellites — one made by L3Harris and the other by Northrop Grumman — are part of MDA’s Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) program. » #Space #spacemission #spaceindustry #defense #nationaldefense #nationalsecurity

"MDA’s national security mission, designated USSF-124, includes six satellites designed to track hypersonic missiles. Four of the satellites are missile-tracking sensors made by L3Harris for the Space Development Agency’s Tracking Layer constellation. The other two satellites — one made by L3Harris and the other by Northrop Grumman — are part of MDA’s Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) program. The Tracking Layer is envisioned as a global network of sensors to provide a defense shield against Russian and Chinese ballistic and hypersonic missiles." #nationalsecurity #missiledefense #satellitetechnology #spaceindustry #defenseindustry

#PersistentGlobalEncryptedConnectivity #SDA #T2TLBeta #PWSA The #Pentagon is increasingly ambitious in #space, seeing a need to keep up with #China's growing capabilities in a #domain that has widespread ramifications for national security efforts back on Earth. The Space Force has especially seen its budget grow, with $30 billion requested for fiscal 2024. Much of that funding goes to both defense contractors and space companies providing products and services to the military. SDA said the 72 satellites will be for the Beta variant of its Tranche 2 Transport Layer constellation, a network the U.S. military is building to provide encrypted communications through a fleet of hundreds of satellites, which it calls the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. #Lockheed and #Northrop will each build 36 of the prototype satellites, scheduled to begin launching by September 2026. Lockheed's contract is worth $816 million, and Northrop's is worth $733 million. The first satellites of SDA's system launched in April. Those Tranche 0 satellites were the first effort to demonstrate the feasibility of SDA's network. The T2TL – Beta space vehicles will provide #global #communications access and deliver persistent global encrypted connectivity to support missions like beyond line of sight #targeting and missile #warning and missile #tracking of advance missile threats. The T2TL Beta variant satellites will work in tandem with SDA's #Tranche1 and #Tranche2 networks. They will advance the initial warfighting capability with targeted technology enhancements, mission-focused payload configurations, and increased #integration. https://lnkd.in/diuKHcNd