U.S. Space Force's early warning missile system hits milestone
NewsMay 25, 2023
REDONDO BEACH, California. Northrop Grumman Corporation recently completed a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command’s Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar (NGP) program, the company announced in a statement. This milestone moves the firm closer to starting production of the national defense-focused early-warning missile system.
The design review process helps validate the technical approach for the comprehensive integration of the Eagle-3 spacecraft with the infrared sensor and high-bandwidth communication payloads, which are elements that are currently under development at the company's site in Azusa, California, the statement reads.
The NGP program involves two satellites operating in highly elliptical orbits, designed to detect and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles over the Northern Hemisphere. By having broad coverage over the polar region, Space Force believes that these satellites will offer an increased likelihood of detecting potential missile launches, the statement adds.
