Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor

Last updated May 22, 2024

The Hypersonic Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) is a satellite-based sensor system being developed by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) along with the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) to address hypersonic threats.^[1] The product of the 2019 Missile Defense Review's (MDR) for further enhancement of the US national missile defense system, the HBTSS will provide quality intercept data to the GPI. Equipped with "Birth-to-death" capability, the HBTSS can track potential threats from their launch until interception.^[2] The HBTSS will ultimately be integrated into the broader set of satellite constellations being developed by the Space Development Agency (SDA).^[2]

The new satellite architecture itself, dubbed the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA), will consist of seven layers: data tracking, transport, custody, battle management, navigation, deterrence, and support.^[3] The HBTSS will be a part of the tracking layer, whose goal is to "provide global indications, warning, tracking, and targeting of advanced missile threats, including hypersonic missile systems."^[3] It will work alongside SDA-developed Wide Field of View (WFoV) satellites with its Medium Field of View (MFoV) with the WFoVs cueing data to the HBTSS which will then provide more specific and quality target data, referred to as "fire control data," to linked ground-based interceptors.^[3]^[4] This combination of both MFoVs and WFoVs are crucial as normal radars may miss fast-moving advanced missile technologies such as the Russian-made Avangard and Chinese-made Starry Sky-2, which are Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGVs).^[2]

The current phase of the HBTSS program is in protype stage and lacks operational capability.^[1] The HBTSS program plans to launch two demonstration sensors into orbit by Fiscal Year (FY) 2023.^[1] The Missile Defense Agency have selected two military contractors - L3Harris Technologies and Northrop Grumman - to design, build, and lastly demonstrate prototype satellites for the HBTSS in January 2021.^[5] Both were awarded with contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars.^[5] By December 2021, these prototype satellites had passed critical design reviews, meaning manufacturing can move forward.^[5]

On February 2024, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced the successful launch and trajectory insertion of six satellites, which include two prototypes of the HBTSS.

Related Research Articles

An anti-ballistic missile (ABM) is a surface-to-air missile designed to counter ballistic missiles. Ballistic missiles are used to deliver nuclear, chemical, biological, or conventional warheads in a ballistic flight trajectory. The term "anti-ballistic missile" is a generic term for a system designed to intercept and destroy any type of ballistic threat; however, it is commonly used for systems specifically designed to counter intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), nicknamed the Star Wars program, was a proposed missile defense system intended to protect the US from attack by ballistic strategic nuclear weapons. The concept was announced in 1983, by President Ronald Reagan, a critic of the doctrine of mutual assured destruction (MAD), which he described as a "suicide pact". Reagan called upon American scientists and engineers to develop a system that would render nuclear weapons obsolete. Elements of the program reemerged in 2019 with the Space Development Agency (SDA).

The Arrow or Hetz is a family of anti-ballistic missiles designed to fulfill an Israeli requirement for a missile defense system that would be more effective against ballistic missiles than the MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile. Jointly funded and produced by Israel and the United States, development of the system began in 1986 and has continued since, drawing some contested criticism. Undertaken by the MALAM division of the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Boeing, it is overseen by the Israeli Ministry of Defense's "Homa" administration and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. It forms the long-range layer of Israel's multi-tiered missile defence system, along with David's Sling and Iron Dome and Iron Beam.

The Aegis ballistic missile defense system, also known as Sea-Based Midcourse, is a Missile Defense Agency program under the United States Department of Defense developed to provide missile defense against short and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The program is part of the United States national missile defense strategy and European NATO missile defense system.

National missile defense (NMD) refers to the nationwide antimissile program the United States has had in development since the 1990s. After the renaming in 2002, the term now refers to the entire program, not just the ground-based interceptors and associated facilities.

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is a component of the United States government's Department of Defense responsible for developing a comprehensive defense against ballistic missiles. It had its origins in the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) which was established in 1983 by Ronald Reagan and which was headed by Lt. General James Alan Abrahamson. Under the Strategic Defense Initiative's Innovative Sciences and Technology Office headed by physicist and engineer Dr. James Ionson, the investment was predominantly made in basic research at national laboratories, universities, and in industry. These programs have continued to be key sources of funding for top research scientists in the fields of high-energy physics, advanced materials, nuclear research, supercomputing/computation, and many other critical science and engineering disciplines—funding which indirectly supports other research work by top scientists, and which was most politically viable to fund from appropriations for national defense. It was renamed the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization in 1993, and then renamed the Missile Defense Agency in 2002. The current director is U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Jon A. Hill.

Missile defense is a system, weapon, or technology involved in the detection, tracking, interception, and also the destruction of attacking missiles. Conceived as a defense against nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), its application has broadened to include shorter-ranged non-nuclear tactical and theater missiles.

Hypersonic flight is flight through the atmosphere below altitudes of about 90 km at speeds greater than Mach 5, a speed where dissociation of air begins to become significant and high heat loads exist. Speeds over Mach 25 have been achieved below the thermosphere as of 2020.

The RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) is a ship-based surface-to-air missile used by the United States Navy to intercept short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles as a part of Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System. Although primarily designed as an anti-ballistic missile, the SM-3 has also been employed in an anti-satellite capacity against a satellite at the lower end of low Earth orbit. The SM-3 is primarily used and tested by the United States Navy and also operated by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

The Space Tracking and Surveillance System was a pair of satellites developed by the United States Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to research the space-based detection and tracking of ballistic missiles. Data from STSS satellites could allow interceptors to engage incoming missiles earlier in flight than would be possible with other missile detection systems. The STSS program began in 2001, when the "SBIRS Low" program was transferred to MDA from the United States Air Force. In December 2002, SBIRS Low Research & Development was renamed Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS).

Missile defense systems are a type of missile defense intended to shield a country against incoming missiles, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) or other ballistic missiles. The United States, Russia, India, France, Israel, Italy, United Kingdom, China and Iran have all developed missile defense systems.

The Arrow 3 or Hetz 3 is an exoatmospheric hypersonic anti-ballistic missile, jointly funded, developed and produced by Israel and the United States. Undertaken by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Boeing, it is overseen by the Israeli Ministry of Defense's "Homa" administration and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. It provides exo-atmospheric interception of ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) carrying nuclear, chemical, biological or conventional warheads. With divert motor capability, its kill vehicle can switch directions dramatically, allowing it to pivot to see approaching satellites. The missile's reported flight range is up to 2,400 km (1,500 mi).

The DF-ZF is a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) developed by the People's Republic of China. It is launched by the DF-17 medium-range ballistic missile. The combined weapon system was likely operational by October 2019.

A hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) is a type of warhead for ballistic missiles that can maneuver and glide at hypersonic speed. It is used in conjunction with ballistic missiles to significantly change their trajectories after launch. The concept of HGVs is similar to MaRVs, but HGVs are separated from their rocket boosters shortly after launch as opposed to MaRVs which can only maneuver just before the impact. Conventional ballistic missiles follow a predictable ballistic trajectory and are vulnerable to interception by the latest anti-ballistic missile (ABM) systems. The in-flight maneuverability of HGVs makes them unpredictable, allowing them to effectively evade air defenses. As of 2022, hypersonic glide vehicles are the subject of an arms race.

The Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI) is the anti-ballistic missile component of the United States' Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system.

In air and missile defense (AMD), the Integrated Air-and-Missile Defense system (IAMD) is an SMDC research program to augment the aging surface-to-air missile defense systems and to provide the United States Army with a low-cost, but effective complement to kinetic energy solutions to take out air threats. Brigade level higher energy lasers are used in truck mounted systems called HELMTT. At lower levels, the Army needs to develop interceptors that don't cost more than small, unmanned aircraft systems. In early research they have successfully used 5-kilowatt lasers on a Stryker combat vehicle. The Mobile Expeditionary High-Energy Laser (MEHEL) was used at MFIX at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in the first half of April, 2017.

The L-SAM is a South Korean multi-layered missile defense system being developed by the Agency for Defense Development (ADD). It aims to shoot down North Korea's ballistic missiles such as KN-23 and KN-24 in the terminal phase. It will use a trailer-mounted S band AESA radar. It will be an upper-tier interceptor for a layered defense, as part of the Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) project, slated to be ready in the early 2020s, with the lower tier composed of Patriot PAC-3 and KM-SAM batteries.

The Space Development Agency (SDA) is a United States Space Force direct-reporting unit tasked with deploying disruptive space technology. One of the technologies being worked on is space-based missile tracking using large global satellite constellations made up of industry-procured low-cost satellites. The SDA has been managed by the United States Space Force since October 2022. By February 2024 the SDA had 33 satellites on orbit. SDA intends to have at least 1,000 satellites in low Earth orbit by 2026.

Joint All-Domain Command and Control or JADC2 is the concept that the Department of Defense has developed to connect sensors from all branches of the armed forces into a § unified network powered by artificial intelligence. These branches include the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy, as well as Space Force.

The United States Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense [IAMD] Battle Command System (IBCS) is a plug-and-fight network intended to let a radar or any other defensive sensor feed its data to any available weapon—colloquially, "connect any sensor to any shooter". The IBCS is designed to link radars across thousands of miles and shoot down short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase.

References

1 2 3 "Better Oversight and Coordination Needed for Counter-Hypersonic Development" (PDF). GAO.
1 2 3 "Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) – Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance" . Retrieved 2024-05-12.
1 2 3 "Hypersonic Missile Defense: Issues for Congress" (PDF). sgp.fas.org.
↑ "Moving U.S. Tracking Sensors to Space1" (PDF). National Institute for Public Policy.
1 2 3 Strout, Nathan (2021-12-21). "New hypersonic missile-tracking satellites pass critical design review". Defense News. Retrieved 2024-05-12.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[:0-1] 1 2 3 "Better Oversight and Coordination Needed for Counter-Hypersonic Development" (PDF). GAO.

[:1-2] 1 2 3 "Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) – Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance" . Retrieved 2024-05-12.

[:2-3] 1 2 3 "Hypersonic Missile Defense: Issues for Congress" (PDF). sgp.fas.org.

[4] "Moving U.S. Tracking Sensors to Space1" (PDF). National Institute for Public Policy.

[:3-5] 1 2 3 Strout, Nathan (2021-12-21). "New hypersonic missile-tracking satellites pass critical design review". Defense News. Retrieved 2024-05-12.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]