The US Space Forces are considering the possibility of launching new satellites of the missile attack warning system, which will be located in unconventional orbits, reports The Drive.
It is expected that the new spacecraft will be in an average near-Earth orbit, and not geostationary, like the existing Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) satellites. It is assumed that this will make it possible to more effectively monitor the launches of cruise, ballistic and hypersonic missiles. Raytheon and Boeing will act as developers of prototypes of spacecraft, the launch of which is possible in 2022.
In June, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the transfer of two MiG-31K fighters to the Khmeimim air base in Syria, which can carry hypersonic Dagger missiles.
In the same month, C4ISRNet wrote that the experimental Demonstration and Science Experiments (DSX) satellite of the US Air Force Research Laboratory, which is comparable in size to a football field, has completed work. The product was located in an average near-Earth orbit, experiencing the influence of the Earth's radiation belt. The main purpose of the DSX missions is to collect experimental data on radiation in near-Earth space, which would help the US Air Force to develop a large spacecraft under appropriate conditions.
Ivan Potapov
