The United States has launched six satellites designed to demonstrate capabilities that could be used to detect and track hypersonic and ballistic missiles sent by enemies.
As part of the National Security Space Launch program, the Missile Defense Agency’s two satellites for Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor, and the Space Development Agency’s four Tranche 0 Tracking Layer satellites of its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture were launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket delivered the satellites to orbit Wednesday.
“This launch represents a pivotal time for MDA as we enter a new phase of missile warning, tracking and defense,” said Lt. Gen. Heath Collins, director of MDA. These HBTSS satellites are an essential step forward in the United States’ efforts to stay ahead of its adversaries, according to him.
The Pentagon said that MDA, the U.S. Space Force and SDA are collaborating to develop HBTSS as a space sensor prototype demonstration providing fire control quality data required to defeat advanced missile threats. Ultimately, this data is critical to thwart threats posed by missile defense weapons, including hypersonic glide-phase weapons. This “birth-to-death” tracking by HBTSS will make it possible to maintain custody of missile threats from launch through intercept regardless of location.
When it becomes operational, the missile defense capability will inform SDA’s PWSA and will detect hypersonic, ballistic, and other advanced threats earlier than terrestrial radars, providing hypersonic threat tracking data for hand off through linked missile defense weapons.
The launch of the two prototype systems will be followed by two years of on-orbit testing, the Defense Department said. Over the next few weeks, MDA and SDA engineers will run a series of tests and checkout procedures to ensure the satellites are operating and integrating with the Missile Defense System and other mission areas.
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