US satellites to monitor hypersonic, ballistic missiles

The United States Space Force is launching six satellites into Earth orbit via the Space Launch Complex at Cape Canaveral Station (Florida).

The agency's statement notes that the launch planned today will include two satellites for the Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) Hypersonic and Ballistic Space Tracking Sensor (HBTSS) and four SDA Tranche T0 tracking level satellites, Caliber.Az reports citing the U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA).

The respective satellites are to be delivered into orbit by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of the National Security Space Launch program.

“This launch represents a pivotal time for MDA as we enter a new phase of missile warning, tracking and defence,” said Lt. Gen. Heath Collins, director of MDA.

Missile Weapons Tracking Satellites

The U.S. Space Force, MDA and SDA are collaborating to develop HBTSS as a demonstration prototype of a space-based sensor that provides the quality fire control data needed to defeat advanced missile threats.

The agency's statement notes that the data is critical to enabling missile defence weapon engagement, including the engagement of hypersonic "glide phase" weapons - referring to tracking from launch initiation to destruction with HBTSS, which will enable missile threats to remain in control from launch to intercept regardless of location.

According to SDA Director Derek Tournear, launching the tracking satellites into the same orbit as the MDA HBTSS satellites is a win for both agencies.

"We’ll be able to look at test targets from the same orbit at the same time, so that we can see how the two sensors work together. In Tranche 1, SDA will fly both sensor types as an operational system – medium-field-of-view demonstrating fire control, based on HBTSS design, and wide-field-of-view doing warning and tracking, based on T0 tracking design," he revealed.

Program Features

Operationally, missile defence assets developed under the MDA HBTSS demonstration program will inform SDA's PWSA and detect hypersonic, ballistic and other advanced threats earlier than ground-based radars, providing hypersonic threat tracking data for transmission via linked missile defence weapons.

The SDA adds that it will build on the success of fire control assets derived from HBTSS.