Write a comment
Northrop Grumman and Ball Aerospace will design and develop the two mission payloads for the U.S. Space Force's Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar (NGP) program.
"NGP combines Northrop Grumman's proven experience in missile warning and defense with Ball Aerospace's expertise in optical sensors and mission data processing," said Sarah Willoughby, vice president, overhead per Northrop Grumman and Ball Aerospace will design and develop the two mission payloads for the U.S. Space Force's Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar (NGP) program.
"NGP combines Northrop Grumman's proven experience in missile warning and defense with Ball Aerospace's expertise in optical sensors and mission data processing," said Sarah Willoughby, vice president, overhead persistent infrared and geospatial systems, Northrop Grumman. "Our team's solution for NGP will assure continuous coverage of the northern hemisphere - especially the critical Arctic region - to protect against incoming threats."
In May 2020, the U.S. Space Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $2.37 billion contract for the first phase of NGP program. Together, Northrop Grumman and Ball Aerospace will design and develop the sensor payloads for the two NGP satellites at Northrop Grumman's site in Azusa, California. The team will also perform systems engineering, flight hardware and ground system design and development, and risk reduction in support of a critical design review.
The two satellites, operating in highly elliptical orbits, will include infrared sensors to detect and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles; an enhanced communication system that will transmit mission data to the ground, allowing decision makers to identify infrared heat signatures of incoming threats; and resiliency features that reduce vulnerabilities to counter-space and cyberattacks.
Related Links
Northrop Grumman
Military Space News at SpaceWar.com
|
| Tweet |
| Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution. | ||
| SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once credit card or paypal |  | SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly paypal only |
Russian invasion of Ukraine and resulting US sanctions threaten future of ISS
Maxwell AFB AL (The Conversation) Feb 25, 2022
New U.S. sanctions on Russia will encompass Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, according to a speech U.S. President Joe Biden gave on Feb. 24, 2022. In response to these sanctions, the head of Roscosmos on the same day posted a tweet saying, among other things, "If you block cooperation with us, who will save the ISS from an uncontrolled deorbit and fall into the United States or Europe?" The International Space Station has often stayed above the fray of geopolitics. That position is under th ... read more