The US Space Command has recognized two projects of observation satellites from private companies as promising. In 2026, they will be put into medium Earth orbit in order to demonstrate the possibility of tracking the launches of hypersonic missiles.
New satellites for the US military
The Space Operations Command of the United States of America announced that two projects of satellites that will be able to track the launches of hypersonic missiles and drones passed their verification. One of them was developed by Millennium Space Systems, the other by Raytheon Intelligence & Space.
According to military representatives, the developers have demonstrated the viability of sensor designs, and now it is possible to move from designing to building demonstration devices. In the summer of 2023, both companies should present their full-fledged design to customers.
If they pass this test, then two launches should take place in 2026. This will be a test mission in which both companies must demonstrate the ability of their satellites to detect the launches of hypersonic vehicles. And even if these tests are successful, the US military will create a full-fledged system.
How to track hypersonic missile launches?
Hypersonic unmanned aerial vehicles are weapons that are still mostly experimental. This year, for the first time, Russia used it against Ukraine, turning it into a means of terrorizing civilians. And this fact pretty scared the Western powers.
Until now, there are no reliable ways to track the launches of hypersonic missiles. The Pentagon has requested USD 139 million for their development only for 2023. This money will be used specifically for the development of satellites that will operate in medium Earth orbit.
It is planned that they will operate in close cooperation with the SBIRS missile attack warning system, elements of which operate in geostationary orbits. In addition, reconnaissance satellites in low Earth orbit will help to track the launches of hypersonic missiles.
According to spacenews.com
Follow us on Twitter to get the most interesting space news in time
https://twitter.com/ust_magazine
