EO/IR Weather System Dev

Abstract

In FY 2021, PE 1203710F, EO/IR Weather Systems efforts were transferred to Appropriation 3620, Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Space Force, PE 1203710SF, EO/IR Weather Systems from Appropriation 3600, Budget Activity 04 due to the creation of a new Appropriation for Space Force. In compliance with 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) Memo 062-17, dated 20 Jun 2017, the Air Force has decided to pursue a materiel solution to address Space-based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) weather Gap 1 - Cloud Characterization (CC) and Gap 2 - Theater Weather Imagery (TWI) as a follow-on to Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) operational constellation. The Department of Defense (DoD) requires continued global collection of CC and TWI data to contribute to the space domain awareness. Without the CC and TWI data, AF production of global predictive weather data would be severely impacted, affecting daily air operations and intelligence gathering for strategic mission planning, especially around the contested environment. Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) Weather Systems (EWS) is a component of JROC-approved SBEM materiel solution specifically designed to address CC and TWI needs post-DMSP mission end of life. Based on recently completed SBEM Capability Assessment and Strategy Review (CASR) in April 2019, the current EWS acquisition strategy pivots focuses on a distributed LEO architecture, for scalability and increased operational resilience. The Air Force will pursue prototyping of latest industry capabilities for simplified sensor designs, while meeting CC and TWI requirements and data latencies in a distributed architecture. The EWS prototyping effort will: 1) Explore low-Size, Weight & Power/simplified EO/IR sensor designs in highly competitive design sprints, utilizing variety of experimental/prototyping contract vehicles 2) Conduct system technology end-to-end demonstration, from prototype build, Integration & Test, Launch, ground Telemetry/Tracking & Commanding (TT&C) and on-orbit data collection to data processing and dissemination to the Weather Centrals 3) Explore business models for the feasibility of commercially available data In addition, the program may integrate sensors into a commercial & Government communication transport layer, leveraging web services to ensure delivery of data products to end users. Secondary investments may be supported to address weather gaps identified in the SBEM Analysis of Alternatives and validated by the JROC. Space acquisition must respond with speed and agility to emerging adversary threats. Space & Missile Systems Center (SMC) has transformed the organization and implementation of space acquisition to an enterprise approach, maximizing innovation and resiliency, leveraging international, commercial, and mission partnerships, and managing program/project priorities according to an integrated unclassified/classified enterprise space architecture. Expanding the appropriate acquisition authorities and contract mechanisms to deliver capability sooner, SMC will strategically execute experimentation, prototyping, risk reduction, and other efforts to develop new or repurpose capabilities. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver EWS weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 1206392F and 1206398F. This effort is in Budget Activity 4, Advanced Component Development and Prototypes (ACD&P), because efforts are necessary to evaluate integrated technologies, representative modes or prototype systems in a high fidelity and realistic operating environment.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2022
• Source ID: 643730_1203710F_4_3600_PB_2022

Tags

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering.

Technology Areas

• Space
• Space - Satellites