Resilient MW/MT - MEO
Abstract
In 2021, the Space Warfighting Analysis Center (SWAC) conducted its inaugural USSF Force Design with a key focus area in the Missile Warning and Missile Tracking mission area. The goal of the analysis was to produce a highly resilient government reference design that could maintain custody of emergent dimmer and more maneuverable threats through the boost and post-boost phases of flight. The SWAC concluded that a multi-layered approach was required to meet the stringent performance requirements while maximizing total system resilience. Their recommended government reference design included a combined constellation of 135 LEO and 16 MEO satellites working in concert through an integrated ground solution. On 27 Jan 2022, the Space Acquisition Council concluded that the Space Development Agency would develop the LEO layer of the architecture while Space Systems Command would provide the MEO layer in addition to serving as the total system integrator. The Resilient Missile Warning/Missile Tracking project executes the architecture transition from a missile warning boost-phase focused constellation to a distributed, multi-orbit, constellation to meet the intent of the 2021 SWAC Force Design recommendation. This architecture pivot performs both missile warning and missile tracking (post-boost phase) anchored on the Missile Warning and Missile Defense OPIR Enterprise OPIR Capability Development Document (CDD), validated by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC), JROCM 042-19, dated 8 May 2019. The inclusion of missile tracking ensures the constellation can maintain custody of evolved dim and maneuvering threats through all phases of flight to provide required missile warning attack characterization. This pivot also marks the transition to a more resilient architecture against kinetic and non-kinetic threats. With space assets distributed in multiple orbits, the overall architecture and mission is more resilient in a contested environment. The Resilient Missile Warning / Missile Tracking MEO investments evolve the architecture beyond Next-Gen OPIR GEO, Polar and the Space Modernization Initiative demonstrations to an operational system that will perform the full missile warning and missile tracking mission. The Space Force will phase and deploy space assets for this effort in collaboration with capabilities delivered by the Space Development Agency (SDA) (PE 1206446SF). Additionally, the Space Force will develop satellite control capabilities and fuse mission data for accurate warning/tracking solutions through the Missile Warning / Missile Tracking MEO Ground segment (PE 1206448SF, 657???). This ground segment will integrate with the existing global OPIR ground infrastructure as well as SDA's ground to provide a robust, combined ground solution to meet stringent data accuracy and latency needs. Overall, the Department of Defense is united to deliver a multi-faceted OPIR architecture that meets warfighter needs for detection, tracking, and reporting on these challenging evolved missile threats. The Department of Defense recently completed an Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) for the future missile warning and missile tracking architecture. The AoA identified several architecture building blocks to further investigate feasibility to meet mission needs while focusing on aggressive cost control. In FY22, the Missile Track Custody Digital Engineering Risk Reduction effort (PE 1206442SF, 657009) iterated on the AoA sensor recommendations, developed digital payload designs, validated system performance against threat models, and performed ground demonstrations of sensor hardware and software. Transitioning development into this program element expands MEO development from a single satellite demonstration into a multiple satellite prototype system that will deliver at least 4 MEO satellites as an Initial Warfighting Capability in coordination with LEO for a minimum viable product combined warning and tracking architecture by FY2028. Space acquisition must respond with speed and agility to emerging adversary threats. Space Systems Command (SSC) 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, SSC will strategically execute experimentation, prototyping, risk reduction, and other efforts to develop new or repurpose existing capabilities. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver MWMT capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 1206392SF and 1206398SF. This program is in Budget Activity 5, System Development and Demonstration (SDD) because it has passed Milestone B approval and is conducting engineering and manufacturing development tasks aimed at meeting validated requirements prior to full rate production.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2023
- Source ID
- 657MEO_1206447SF_5_3620F_PB_2023
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