JUST IN: Much Anticipated Missile Warning Satellite Program Moves Forward
3/15/2022
By Mikayla Easley
The Space Development Agency plans to “imminently” release a solicitation for a new constellation of advanced missile tracking satellites to industry, a senior defense official said March 15.
After receiving $550 million from the 2022 omnibus spending bill passed by Congress last week, the agency is now able to continue development of its “Tranche 1” Tracking Layer, according to a senior defense official. The constellation would expand missile tracking worldwide and give the Pentagon the ability to detect next-generation weapons such as hypersonic missiles.
“Right now, the department has satellites that provide global missile warning capability to essentially detect launches of missiles, but nothing that can actually detect the new advanced missiles,” the official — who spoke on the condition that he not be named — told reporters in a briefing. “This would be the first to be able to provide that over the globe.”
https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2022/3/15/new-funding-propels-missile-warning-and-tracking-satellites-forward
