Loadmasters from the 60th Air Mobility Wing and Lockheed Martin Space unload the sixth Geosynchronous Earth Orbit Space Based Infrared System satellite (SBIRS GEO-6) from a C-5M Super Galaxy at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., June 2, 2022.

Loadmasters from the 60th Air Mobility Wing and Lockheed Martin Space unload the sixth Geosynchronous Earth Orbit Space Based Infrared System satellite (SBIRS GEO-6) from a C-5M Super Galaxy at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., June 2, 2022. U.S. Space Force / Walter Talens

Tomorrow’s Missile-Warning Satellites Will Join SBIRS, Not Replace Them: Space Systems Command

Off-the-shelf spacecraft and lunar-mission gear are also on the table for Space Force’s acquisition command.

A set of five planned U.S. missile-warning satellites are often described as “replacing” the Space-Based Infrared Systems satellites that currently keep an eye out for enemy launches. That’s not the case, a Space Systems Command leader said Wednesday.

Instead, the Pentagon’s Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared, or OPIR, satellites will be integrated with the existing SBIRS constellation, said Col. “Rhet” Turnbull, deputy director of the Space Systems Integration Office. His office is part of U.S. Space Systems Command, the 10-month-old center that leads Space Force acquisitions and technology development. 

“We rarely throw anything away that's working well,” Turnbull said. “They will still continue to be part of the architecture.”

By keeping both, he said, “We can continue to utilize not just the things that we already have…exploit what we have, but we can bring in new data much more quickly.” 

Starting in 2025, the OPIR satellites are to join the decade-old SBIRS constellation in geosynchronous orbit some 22,200 miles up, allowing each one to maintain station above a different point on the Earth’s surface. The combined constellations will encircle the Earth, with some satellites remaining stationary over the North and South poles, to provide a more resilient detection capability, Turnbull said. 

Meanwhile, SSC is also developing a ground system called FORGE that will fuse data from old and new satellites alike, he said.

“That will be a really powerful capability to provide our operators, because they won't have to look at a lot of different screens, one for each satellite,” Turnbull said. 

As the Space Force’s acquisition lead, SSC is also focused on the nearer-Earth threats posed by low Earth orbit satellites and debris, as potential adversaries test the ability to blind satellites, or grab them with a mechanical arm, as China did with the Shijian (SJ)-17 satellite, or simply shoot them down, as Russia did just two months before invading Ukraine. 

With China, “they demonstrated recently grabbing a satellite and taking it out of orbit and putting it into a different orbit,” Turnbull said. While that was a peaceful test, “you can imagine how you could use that capability in a less benign way.” 

All this has SSC looking at how quickly it could replace a downed satellite. The command is starting with the LEO threats first. In March, it issued a solicitation for firms under the Tactically Responsive Space Program seeking ideas. 

“Tactical response of space is about being able to do that entire timeline much more compressed,” in months or weeks. “I can't talk right now about specific capabilities that  we would use,” he said, “but I can tell you that it is, it is going to really radically shift.” 

All ideas are on the table, from having satellites already built to forming an agreement with industry to be able to get one from an ongoing assembly line, Turnbull said. 

Last, with Moon missions on the horizon, the command is starting to think about what sort of needs a future lunar presence would require. 

“That's definitely an area we have thought a lot about,” Turnbull said, although there are not a lot of Moon-focused programs at the Command yet. 

“If you're going to operate on the Moon you're going to need many of the same services that you need on Earth. You will need navigation and timing; those are services our GPS systems provide here on Earth today.”

That could mean that the U.S. and others begin to encircle the moon with satellites, just as they have encircled the Earth. It will likely mean satellites in non-traditional elliptical orbits between the Earth and Moon as well, Turnbull said. 

“Certainly some of the focus in the future is, ‘How do we provide that space domain awareness around the Moon?’” Turnbull said. “To do that, you're going to need sensors and satellites.”

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.