The American technology company L3Harris Technologies (a Pentagon contractor) reported that the American Agency for the Development of Space Technologies has approved a new satellite project capable of detecting and tracking hypersonic weapons in flight. Preparations are underway for the production of this satellite. L3Harris has been allocated for the development of this project193 million dollars, and SpaceX Corporation – 149 million. The promising satellite will become part of the US Missile Danger Early Warning network. It will be equipped with infrared sensors with the possibility of viewing in a wide spectrum. L3Harris also received an order for the development of a similar prototype and $ 121 million from the Missile Defense Development Agency.
The satellites of the American missile attack warning system currently in orbit are not designed to track hypersonic targets. The system was designed for ballistic missiles, not hypersonic missiles, which are faster, less predictable and harder to detect. Their infrared sensors are designed to detect the thermal signatures of ballistic targets, which are much brighter and more noticeable. In fact, the devices go blind when it comes to hypersonic cruise missiles and gliding warheads. In addition, its satellites are too high for hypersonic weapons: in geostationary orbits.
Therefore, in addition to this system, the Pentagon plans to create a powerful orbital grouping of hundreds of satellites in near space that can detect and track hypersonic signals. The architecture of this system uses the idea of small, relatively cheap and easily replaceable satellites. The system will be continuously improved, its satellites will be able to detect signalsabout launches of hypersonic missiles in conditions of organized interference and background noise. Fundamentally new satellites located in low orbits will be guaranteed to detect hypersonic missiles already at the launch stage and take them for escort. A year ago, the Pentagon ordered a corresponding development for $ 350 million: in 2023, 8 experimental vehicles will be launched into space.
Each device will take control of a certain area of the terrain and, seeing a hypersonic target, will inform the rest of the missile defense system, which means that it will immediately launch it.
At the next stage, the Hypersonic Ballistic Tracking Space Sensors system will come into play, the development of which began in January 2021. These orbiters will take over the baton immediately after the hypersonic rocket is detected and will take it to escort. An array of ground, space and sea sensors is used to track the rocket to predict its trajectory. Their task is to provide information for launching and launching an interceptor into the target area. The HBTSS prototype is promised to be shown in 2023.
However, to detect the target and take on the escort is only half the battle. It still needs to be shot down, and there are still problems with this. According to American experts, in order to intercept a hypersonic missile going at a speed of Mach 5, you need to accelerate to at least Mach 8 or attack on the oncomingcourse. Currently, there are no technologies that can implement this, but it is possible that they will appear in the near future.
https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/2019/08/06/the-small-sat-solution-to-hypersonic-weapons-explained/
