Space Modernization Initiative

Abstract

Future SBIRS Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) satellites will be procured using the Department of Defense (DOD) Efficient Space Procurement (ESP) concept. ESP is an approach which seeks stable production and efficient sub-contractor product management through the block buy of two space vehicles at one time (please see SBIRS P-40 Exhibit). A portion of the savings realized from ESP block buys are programmed for investment into OPIR Space Modernization Initiative (SMI); the current OPIR SMI project was established in this manner in the FY12 President's Budget. The primary objective of SMI is to enable and inform future decisions to maintain and evolve a capable, resilient, and affordable OPIR architecture by maturing technologies and mitigating risk areas to facilitate OPIR modernization within the Department's constrained resources. SMI supports the Program of Record (PoR) by assessing future parts and material obsolescence and designing future space and ground modifications focused on affordability and capability while simultaneously maximizing the effectiveness of existing system data products. SMI funds engineering activities to reduce both production and future system costs through manufacturing and producibility enhancements and through technology insertion. SMI will also mature potential technology upgrades at the component and system level for future space and ground architecture affordability and capability enhancements. The SBIRS OPIR SMI plan includes studies and risk reduction activities to evolve the current PoR SBIRS GEO satellites, reduce production timelines, and reduce recurring production costs. SMI funded data exploitation efforts include OPIR mission data processing, data fusion, data dissemination, algorithm development, network connectivity, efficient interfaces and sensor performance assessments to enable greater exploitation of SBIRS PoR and other data sources. SMI exploitation efforts build upon PoR capabilities and inform the PoR decision process. The data exploitation efforts identify affordable, responsive and resilient measures to improve technical intelligence and battlespace awareness processing and data dissemination tools to enhance OPIR support to the warfighters and other data users. The SMI Hosted Payloads and Wide Field of View (WFOV) Testbed activities explore technology maturation, qualification of new components, and subsystem/component prototyping to evolve the OPIR architecture. Hosted Payloads and WFOV Testbeds support maturation of mission data processing algorithms for tactical and strategic applications which are critical demonstration efforts to enhance PoR capabilities and to reduce program risks for future OPIR systems, whether new systems or evolutions of the PoR. Collection of on-orbit WFOV data is critical to develop algorithms to process large data sets generated by emerging large format focal planes and to reduce risk for possible SBIRS follow-on architectures. SMI activities are balanced and phased to enable an expanded tradespace and improve the competitive environment.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2016
• Source ID: 657009_0604441F_5_3600_PB_2016

Tags

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering.

Technology Areas

• Space
• Space - Satellites