Space Situation Awareness Operations

Abstract

Space Situational Awareness (SSA) is knowledge of all aspects of space related to operational sensing. The foundation for space control, SSA encompasses intelligence on adversary space operations; surveillance of all space objects and activities; detailed reconnaissance of specific space assets; monitoring space environmental conditions; monitoring cooperative space assets; and conducting integrated command, control, communications, processing, analysis, dissemination, and archiving activities. This program element fields, upgrades, operates and maintains Air Force sensors and information integration capabilities within the SSA network while companion program element 0604425F, Space Situation Awareness Systems, develops new network sensors and improved information integration capabilities across the network. Activities funded in this program element focus on surveillance of objects in earth orbit to aid tasks including satellite tracking; space object identification; tracking and cataloging; satellite attack warning; notification of satellite flyovers to U.S. forces; space treaty monitoring; and technical intelligence gathering. The Sensor Life Extension Programs (SLEPs) project funds efforts to upgrade and extend the lifetimes of operational Space Situation Awareness (SSA) sensors, as needed. These SLEPs include, but are not limited to, programs which, when combined with routine technological renewal, extend the serviceable life of assets and maintain critical capability by replacing aging and increasingly unsustainable components with modern equipment. SLEPs may incorporate equipment which inherently includes technological advances resulting in enhanced or increased capabilities. In addition, the SLEP itself may be designed to increase capabilities not currently realized. Our current on-going efforts, Eglin, Haystack Ultra-wideband Satellite Imaging Radar (HUSIR), Ground-based Electro Optics Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) and Globus II are representative of sensor systems upgraded in the SLEP project. As the need arises in the execution year, funds in this project may be used to begin sensor life extension programs on additional efforts. These efforts are in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development, because they develop modifications for operational SSA sensors.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2011
• Source ID: 0305940F_7_3600_PB_2011
• Change Summary Explanation: FY11: The FY 2010 President's Budget submittal did not reflect FY 2011 through FY 2015 funding. Therefore, explanation of changes between the two budget positions cannot be made in a relevant manner.
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Air Force
• Artificial Satellites
• Beam Steering
• Contracts
• Cost Analysis
• Costs
• Deep Space
• Detectors
• Engineering
• Ground Based
• Radar
• Situational Awareness
• Space Objects
• Space Situational Awareness
• Space Surveillance
• Surveillance
• Test And Evaluation

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering.

Technology Areas

• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Space
• Space - Satellites
• Space - Space Objects