(Northrop Grumman)
Companies L3Harris Technologies and Northrop Grumman have presented projects of hypersonic weapons detection satellites.
The US missile early warning system today mainly consists of SBIRS infrared and optical detection satellites.
They are in geostationary orbit and cannot identify and track highly maneuverable hypersonic vehicles.
In 2018, the US military announced that new satellites were needed to defend against hypersonic weapons.
This is how the HBTSS project (Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor) appeared.
It involves the creation in low-earth orbit of a constellation of many satellites capable of exchanging target designation data with each other.
In January, the US Missile Defense Agency awarded contracts to develop prototype new satellites with Northrop Grumman and L3Harris Technologies.
Both companies must submit fully assembled satellite prototypes no later than July 2023, after which the military will begin testing them.
Northrop Grumman announced the participation in the satellite project back in November, and L3Harris on December 20.
Companies can now move on to building prototypes, which L3Harris has already done.
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