Ballistic Missile Defense System Space Programs

Abstract

Spacebased Kill Assessment (SKA): The SKA project will deliver dedicated space sensors contributing to hit and kill assessment for Homeland Defense. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Missile Defense System intercept testing experience provided a solid understanding of kill assessment physics to enable exploration of this critical capability. SKA incorporates Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendations to examine the operational feasibility of disaggregating large satellites and to provide data for the business case for shared versus dedicated satellite control, including the ground antenna networks. The favorable cost and schedule performance on SKA is also consistent with the GAO's assessment of hosted payload programs. The SKA experiment utilizes a network of small Infrared sensors integrated onto host satellites that while on orbit observe missile defense intercepts and deliver situational awareness hit and kill assessment declarations. HBTSS: HBTSS will demonstrate a schedule-focused, cost-constrained capability to detect and track hypersonic threats and boosting conventional ballistic missiles. The key characteristic of HBTSS that sets it apart from other Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) sensors is the requirement to provide fire-control quality tracking data. This information will be handed off to the Missile Defense System hypersonic weapons systems to allow long range engagement of the threat. The enhanced tracking accuracy through missile burn out will provide the warfighter increased missile defense weapons systems engagement capability and higher accuracy impact predictions. The requirement for fire-control data necessitates that HBTSS be a highly sensitive, low-latency, high quality of service system. Following the successful demonstration of HBTSS capabilities, the responsibility for HBTSS operational fielding will be transferred to the US Space Force and the MDA will continue the development of the next-generation of space-based fire control sensors for missile defense. MDA is collaborating with the U.S. Space Force, under the leadership of the Chief of Space Operations, and the Space Development Agency to demonstrate HBTSS as a potential element within the larger Unified OPIR Enterprise Architecture. Space Applications for Missile Defense (SAMD): SAMD consolidates MDA resources (including those efforts previously planned in PE 1206893C) to provide strategic planning, program integration, contracting, acquisition, engineering, financial management, and program assessments for development and acquisition of space applications. This PE also funds Cybersecurity efforts necessary to support Missile Defense System Space Programs.

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Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2024
Source ID
1206895C_4_0400_PB_2024
Change Summary Explanation
Decrease reflects reduction of effort toward SKA operationalization and alignments for higher agency prioritizes.
Service Agency Name
Missile Defense Agency

Entities

Organizations

  • Missile Defense Agency

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Cyber
  • Kinetic Weapons
  • Sensors
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Command And Control
  • Contractors
  • Contracts
  • Cyberspace Operations
  • Defense Systems
  • Homeland Defense
  • Information Systems
  • National Security
  • Procurement
  • Space Force
  • Space Systems
  • Spacecraft
  • Systems Engineering
  • Test And Evaluation
  • United States
  • United States Northern Command
  • United States Strategic Command

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering.
  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Missile Defense Systems.

Technology Areas

  • Cyber
  • Cyber - Quantum
  • Hypersonics
  • Space
  • Space - Satellites

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