July 19, 2006 :: UPI :: News
Lockheed Martin announced Tuesday, July 18, that it has completed an important software component for the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS), which is currently under development. SBIRS will be a high-orbiting constellation of satellites designed to detect and track ballistic missiles all over the globe. It will replace the current Defense Support Program (DSP) satellites, which have provided early missile warning information for more than 30 years. The software developed by Lockheed Martin for SBIRS will be integrated with the system’s Pointing and Control Assembly, which operates each satellite’s highly-sensitive “staring” and “scanning” sensors. The scanning sensors are designed to detect missile launches, whereas the staring sensors are intended to lock on to the missiles themselves and transmit detailed data to other elements of the U.S. missile defense shield. The current DSP satellites, which only have scanning sensors, currently take 40-50 seconds to detect a missile launch and determine its course; SBIRS is expected to take only 10-20 seconds to accomplish this task and inform ground elements.
Lockheed Martin has delivered the new software to Northrop Grumman in California, where it will be integrated with another system component that extracts the missile’s infrared signal from background noise and chatter. The completed payload is expected to be delivered to Lockheed Martin in mid-2007 for spacecraft assembly, integration, and testing in preparation for launch in late 2008. (Article)
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» Missile system details for: Defense Support Program (DSP), Space-Based Infrared System-High (SBIRS-High)
