US defense company Lockheed Martin received another $ 4.9 billion in addition to $ 2.9 billion in August 2018 to create a triad of satellites for early registration of missile attacks. Writes about this Space.com.
These devices will monitor the Earth’s surface from a geostationary orbit (~ 36,000 km), and if conventional China or Russia launch ICBMs, ballistic missiles from submarines or tactical missiles, the US Space Forces and allies will immediately become aware of this.
Now this type of reconnaissance is carried out by SBIRS vehicles – they will be replaced by NGOPIR (or simply OPIR) – Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared. In addition to registering missile launches, the SBIRS system is capable of determining their flight paths, identifying warheads and decoys, as well as issuing target designations for interception. The mode of conducting reconnaissance over the theater of operations in the infrared range is possible.
Watch the video: Engineers burned part of the space satellite in plasma and filmed it: watch the test
OPIR will be more effective in this matter, the developers promise. They will also become more resistant to hacking, interference and suppression than the current ones.
In addition to the three satellites, Lockheed Martin will also develop ground and technical support software by May 2028.
In addition to the three Lockheed Martin satellites in geostationary orbit, the U.S. Space Force will also acquire two polar-orbiting satellites from Northrop Grumman (raised $ 2.4 billion in May 2020).
Phase 1 development is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025, and all five OPIR satellites are expected to be launched by the end of 2029.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.