US launches hypersonic and ballistic missile warning satellites into low-Earth orbit

News, US February 18, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

U.S. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket delivered six satellites of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Space Development Agency (SDA) into low-Earth orbit. The satellites would support the Department of Defense to track hypersonic and ballistic missile threats.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket delivered the satellites as part of the National Security Space Launch program. The satellites were launched from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

The satellites included two MDA’s Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) and four SDA Tranche 0 (T0) Tracking Layer satellites of its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA).

The director of MDA Lt. Gen. Heath Collins said, “This launch represents a pivotal time for MDA as we enter a new phase of missile warning, tracking, and defense. These HBTSS satellites are an essential step forward in our efforts to stay ahead of our adversaries.”

Falcon 9 launches USSF-124 to orbit from Florida pic.twitter.com/Z4m1spnP5s
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) February 15, 2024

According to the Pentagon statement, “Operationally, the missile defense capability, developed through MDA’s HBTSS demonstration program, will inform SDA’s PWSA and will detect hypersonic, ballistic, and other advanced threats earlier than terrestrial radars, providing hypersonic threat tracking data for hand off through linked missile defense weapons.”

The statement added, “SDA will build upon the fire-control capability successes learned from HBTSS and proliferate those fully developed capabilities in the spiral approach to future tranches.”

The director of SDA Derek Tournear said, “Launching our Tracking satellites into the same orbit with the MDA HBTSS satellites is a win for both agencies. We’ll be able to look at test targets from the same orbit at the same time so that we can see how the two sensors work together.”

Tournear explained that “In Tranche 1, SDA will fly both sensor types as an operational system – medium-field-of-view demonstrating fire control, based on HBTSS design, and wide-field-of-view doing warning and tracking, based on T0 tracking design.”

U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Space Development Agency (SDA) prepare to launch satellites to low-Earth orbit — *^{SpaceX Rocket with MDA and SDA satellites prepares to launch to low-Earth orbit on February 15, 2024. (Image Credit: SpaceX)}*

The Missile Defense Agency is a component of the U.S. Department of Defense and is tasked with developing a comprehensive defense against ballistic missiles. The Space Development Agency is managed by the U.S. Space Force and is responsible for space-based missile defense and deploying disruptive space technology.

In 2023, SDA deployed 23 Tranche 0 satellites in orbit, including Transport and Tracking Layer satellites. The four Tracking Layer satellites represent the final satellites in the Tranche 0 program bringing the on-orbit constellation to 27, the Pentagon statement highlighted.

Falcon 9 Rocket

Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket that can be used to transport people and payloads into Earth orbit and beyond. It is the world’s first orbital-class reusable rocket.

The Falcon 9 rocket reaches the speed of sound in about one minute, then shut down its nine main engines two-and-a-half minutes after liftoff. The booster stage separated from the Falcon 9’s upper stage, then fired pulses from cold gas control thrusters and extended titanium grid fins to help steer the vehicle back into the atmosphere.