National Space Symposium Show News - April 7-10, 2008 - (Page 8)

MILITARY SPACE New Push for Non-Nuclear Ballistic Missiles Emerges from China ASAT Demo One result of China’s demonstration last year of an ability to shoot down satellites is a renewed push in some quarters of the U.S. government to develop a force of non-nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles. The idea of such missiles armed with high explosive warheads has been around for years, but at least two top officials see it as more attractive in the wake of China’s antisatellite demonstration. Kevin Chilton. One is Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, commander of U.S. Strategic Command in Omaha, Neb. “Let’s hypothesize there’s a nation that was to field a robust anti-satellite capability, akin to the capability we saw demonstrated by the Chinese, and let’s say that nation was to attack our satellites,” he told a subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee on Feb. 27—about a week after the U.S. demonstrated a similar capability. Today, Chilton can offer the president an option to strike back with nuclear missiles. But he said it would be advantageous to also “have a Prompt Global Conventional Strike capability in the quiver.” One of its greatest strengths would be “to control escalation in some scenarios,” he said. Michael Vickers, assistant secretary of defense for special operations/low intensity conflict, agreed. But besides the ASAT scenario, he told the House panel, PGCS has applications in thwarting terrorists with weapons of mass destruction. “It could be terrorists plotting other attacks in the homeland, and the only way to strike that might be with a rapid Prompt Global Strike weapon.” Ball Wraps SBSS Integration… Ball Aerospace (Booth 403) has completed integration and test of the visible sensor and high speed gimbal system and delivered all payload electronics for the Pentagon’s Space-Based Surveillance System in anticipation of a December 2008 launch. Ball is providing the SBSS spacecraft and other major hardware elements, including the visible sensor, to Boeing. SBSS is designed to detect and track space objects, such as satellites and orbital debris, generating data the Department of Defense will use in support of military operations. …Likewise Completes CDR for STP-SIV Ball reports successful completion of the Critical Design Review for the Space and Missile Systems Command’s Space Test Program Standard Interface Vehicle. The goal of the STP-SIV program is to increase flexibility and reduce the cost of small satellite missions through the use of a standard bus design and standard payload interface capable of supporting a variety of experimental payloads and launch vehicles. “The CDR demonstrated the design maturity of the spacecraft bus to perform over a wide range of orbit conditions and payload operating parameters, and also validated payload accommodation design and test plans,” Ball said. Boeing Supports USAF on New GPS Boeing (Booth 200) will help develop a next-generation GPS ground system for the U.S. Air Force, working as a subcontractor to Raytheon (Booth 503), which was awarded the $160 million, 18-month contract by the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center in November. “Known as OCX, the system will complement the Air Force’s future GPS III spacecraft by offering better positioning service than today’s system as well as improved anti-jamming capabilities,” Boeing says. “We look forward to delivering the best of Boeing’s space-based navigation and communication capabilities,” said Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems vp Craig Cooning. as Does ITT Via Raytheon ITT (Booth 300) also was awarded a contract as part of the Raytheonled team for the new OCX GPS system. “OCX represents our first, strong push into the GPS control segment,” said ITT Space Systems president Chris Young. Elsewhere in GPS, ITT reports the March 15 launch of GPS Block II-RM(19) satellite, part of the II-RM series that maximizes ITT’s expertise in providing a more secure military signal and a stronger civil signal. Separately, ITT is providing updates on its advanced imagery management and dissemination solution for the Air Force that provides high-resolution, large-file imagery at high speed over low bandwidth. Northrop Promotes Israeli TECSAR A rapid response synthetic aperture radar imaging capability is being proposed by Northrop Grumman, based on Israel Aerospace Industries’ TECSAR multi-mode X-band radar imaging satellite. The first TECSAR was launched by Israel last April, affording military users a significant improvement in advanced imaging capabilities. Now Northrop has teamed with IAI to offer the U.S. government its own TECSAR multi-mode X-band radar imaging satellite, Trinidad, that can be manufactured in about 28 months and held in storage for launch on a 30-day call-up. April, 2008 8 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of National Space Symposium Show News - April 7-10, 2008

Arthur Clarke, 1917-2008 Critical Questions Loom Beyond the Rocket Motor New GPS for the USAF Generals Have Their Say 2,500 Years in Space Virgin Senses Sea-Change Technology Spin-Offs

National Space Symposium Show News - April 7-10, 2008

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