Hypersonic & Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) Prototyping

Abstract

HBTSS will provide a resilient, flexible, global capability to detect and track hypersonic threats and boosting conventional ballistic missiles. The high quality tracking data will be handed off to the hypersonic weapons systems to allow long range engagement of the threat while enhanced tracking accuracy through missile burn out will provide the warfighting community increased capability in missile defense weapons systems engagement and higher accuracy impact predictions. The HBTSS priority is to maintain the pace of the development schedule to meet the urgent warfighter need to address rapidly developing threats. To meet this priority, HBTSS must use high technology readiness level components, take advantage of existing government capabilities to minimize development, use a management culture that does not slow down the pace of development, and use Other Transaction Authority (OTA) to minimize contracting cycle times. OTAs allow the Government to work with traditional, non-traditional, and new space businesses to identify innovative solutions. The HBTSS requirements are derived from United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) Prioritized Capabilities List (PCL), the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, and the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) Capability Development Document (CDD) for Missile Warning (MW)/Missile Defense (MD) Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR). The primary technical activity in this phase is developing the target signal-to-clutter algorithms. These algorithms will be evaluated in a Signal-chain Processing Demonstration (SCPD) in which prototype data processing subsystems will process, and distribute the mission data. This activity also includes development of prototype infrared sensor payloads and provides insight into the constellation architecture, communications approach, and preliminary command and control design aspects. Like other MDA space sensors, HBTSS is planned to integrate with the existing Joint OPIR Ground (JOG) architecture for mission tasking and data distribution. This OPIR enterprise architecture will be integrated with the terrestrial Missile Defense System (MDS) sensors to improve missile defense architecture capabilities. MDA is collaborating with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the U.S. Air Force, and the SDA to develop the HBTSS capability. DARPA and Air Force research focuses on spacecraft design, constellation management, and improving industrial production capacity. MDA's research focuses on developing payloads and signal-chain processing to detect and track missile targets of interest. HBTSS will provide a capability integral to the SDA enterprise architecture.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2021
• Source ID: MD42_1206895C_4_0400_PB_2021

Tags

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering.
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Missile Defense Systems.

Technology Areas

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