An emphasis on space situational awareness, also known as SSA, isn’t new. Gen. William Shelton, who will retire as head of Air Force Space Command in August, has consistently warned that space is more “competitive, congested and contested” than ever before, necessitating greater awareness of what is floating around the earth.But this year, there was more open conversation about the need to track the hundreds of thousands of objects, most of which could rip a hole through a multimillion dollar satellite.“Currently we track more than 23,000 objects in space,” Shelton said in his May 20 keynote address. “However, our sensors cannot see the estimated 500,000 pieces of debris between 1 and 10 centimeters in size. We’ve learned some lessons the hard way with orbital collisions and this increased traffic in space is causing collision-avoidance maneuvers at a pace we’ve never before experienced. After five decades of relatively benign operations, space is becoming an increasingly challenging place to operate.”It’s not just debris that poses a threat to US hardware. Shelton highlighted the ways that foreign powers could target satellites in orbit, leaving a core capability of the American military offline.“If we don’t come together as a world community to condemn this kind of weapon, we face the very real threat of making low earth orbit unusable for years,” Shelton warned.The cornerstone of improving the Air Force’s space situational awareness is the Space Fence program. The Air Force is relying on Space Fence to “detect, track and measure an object the size of a softball orbiting more than 1,200 miles in space,” according to a service statement.
The Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin the contract for its Space Fence program, worth $914.7 million.The contract puts the world’s largest defense company in charge of developing the Space Fence system, a key asset in the service’s plans for space situational awareness (SSA). Lockheed was in competition with Raytheon for the program.The contract awards Lockheed $415 million for RDT&E efforts immediately, while the rest will be earned over the course of the 52-month period the company has before it must reach initial operational capability.Space Fence consists of a large S-band radar on the Kwajalein Atoll of the Marshall Islands, located in the Pacific Ocean. Due to its proximity to the equator, Kwajalein provides a wide angle for the radar to take in as much of the sky as possible. With the Earth’s rotation, the stationary radar creates a “fence” through which everything in space should pass over the course of 24 hours.
It is interesting how we get acres of coverage of the latest Space X program or whoever, yet vital safety nets such as this get ignored but I suppose these kind of things just aren't 'glamorous' enough.
Quote from: Star One on 06/03/2014 11:30 pmIt is interesting how we get acres of coverage of the latest Space X program or whoever, yet vital safety nets such as this get ignored but I suppose these kind of things just aren't 'glamorous' enough.Many of us dream of human civilization expanding out into space. The space fence is critical for maintaining what we already have, but it doesn't hold the promise of bring major progress in the human expansion into space. Cheap and safe human orbital launch does hold that promise. SpaceX seems most likely, right now, to give us cheap and safe human access to space, which is why it's more fun to think about than a space fence.
Quote from: ChrisWilson68 on 06/04/2014 03:58 amQuote from: Star One on 06/03/2014 11:30 pmIt is interesting how we get acres of coverage of the latest Space X program or whoever, yet vital safety nets such as this get ignored but I suppose these kind of things just aren't 'glamorous' enough.Many of us dream of human civilization expanding out into space. The space fence is critical for maintaining what we already have, but it doesn't hold the promise of bring major progress in the human expansion into space. Cheap and safe human orbital launch does hold that promise. SpaceX seems most likely, right now, to give us cheap and safe human access to space, which is why it's more fun to think about than a space fence.All very noble but it cannot be done without something like Space Fence to help make a start on this thanks to fact that as usual Humans have left so much 'litter' up in orbit.
Quote from: Star One on 06/04/2014 06:58 amQuote from: ChrisWilson68 on 06/04/2014 03:58 amQuote from: Star One on 06/03/2014 11:30 pmIt is interesting how we get acres of coverage of the latest Space X program or whoever, yet vital safety nets such as this get ignored but I suppose these kind of things just aren't 'glamorous' enough.Many of us dream of human civilization expanding out into space. The space fence is critical for maintaining what we already have, but it doesn't hold the promise of bring major progress in the human expansion into space. Cheap and safe human orbital launch does hold that promise. SpaceX seems most likely, right now, to give us cheap and safe human access to space, which is why it's more fun to think about than a space fence.All very noble but it cannot be done without something like Space Fence to help make a start on this thanks to fact that as usual Humans have left so much 'litter' up in orbit.Absolutely. I'm not saying it's less important. Just less interesting to think about.The farms that grow our food are critical to our lives. We'd all starve to death without them. But I'm on a spaceflight forum, not a farming forum. That doesn't mean farms aren't important. They're just not as interesting to think about.
Or knowing where it is so you don't end up running it over. Remember the previous an promised future space fences are small beans when it comes to the budgets.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force’s contract with Lockheed Martin to develop a next-generation space surveillance system includes measures to ensure compatibility with the service’s situation room for space activity, which also is undergoing a major upgrade.
Yeah, and AFSSS (The predecessor we could no longer afford) only cost $14 million a year to operate...btw. An excellent article that did a great job of explaining the moving of the deck chairs back when AFSSS was shutdown. http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2357/1And the thread that appeared when AFSSS was shutdown. http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=32566.msg1082641#msg1082641Is this months flavor still raspberry?
QuoteWASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force’s contract with Lockheed Martin to develop a next-generation space surveillance system includes measures to ensure compatibility with the service’s situation room for space activity, which also is undergoing a major upgrade.http://www.spacenews.com/article/military-space/40839space-fence-development-closely-tied-to-upgrade-of-us-air-force-control
That's been the synopsis of most articles on the subject. Yes... Shutdown the primary asset so they have to build a newer better asset and pray they can cover the gap in the interim.
It appears on the face of it a risky strategy but it appears to have worked. I presume it links into their on orbit assets, but not to be speculated on as it's probably classified.
Quote from: Star One on 06/10/2014 02:54 pmIt appears on the face of it a risky strategy but it appears to have worked. I presume it links into their on orbit assets, but not to be speculated on as it's probably classified.I think it's a little hasty to say the gambit worked. The new system has only been contracted and will still have a coverage gap until 2018. It has to go forward, only because there is now a gap. They just insured themselves a program, no matter how large the cost overruns.If a preventable event occurs between now and 2018 the gambit will have failed and the money saved wasted. Though one would have to prove that the uncued search capability of the older system would have prevented the event(s). And then we enter the spin zone...
Ground structures for housing the U.S. Space Fence program are to be designed and built by a General Dynamics business unit under contract from Lockheed Martin.The structures - as well as integration of mechanical systems for the project - will start next year on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
{snip}Space Fence is designed to provide assured coverage at Low Earth Orbit for objects as small as 10 centimeters. {snip}
MOORESTOWN, N.J., Sept. 28, 2015 – Lockheed Martin’s (NYSE: LMT) Space Fence System, including the large-scale digital radar and turn-key facility were deemed technically mature and provided evidence that all requirements will be met through the program’s Critical Design Review (CDR) conducted by the U.S. Air Force.Government representatives met with Lockheed Martin engineers in Moorestown to review the Space Fence S-band radar system design, which will detect, track, and catalog orbital objects in space more than 1.5 million times a day to predict and prevent space-based collisions. The three-day CDR was preceded by the delivery of 21,000 pages of design documents, and an eight-day Design Walkthrough, to ensure the system will meet performance requirements. The CDR event featured the demonstration of a small-scale system built with end-item components that detected and tracked orbiting space objects.“Completion of CDR marks the end of the design phase and the start of radar production and facility construction of the Space Fence system,” says Steve Bruce, vice president for Advanced Systems at Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems and Training business. "Once complete, Space Fence will deliver revolutionary capability to the U.S. Air Force with a flexible system capable of adapting to future missions requiring new tracking and coverage approaches. We look forward to continuing our successful partnerships with the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Life-Cycle Management Center and Space Command.”Within the Space Fence radar open architecture design, Lockheed Martin uses the latest monolithic microwave integrated circuit technology, including Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor materials. GaN provides a number of significant advantages for active phased array radar systems, including higher power density, greater efficiency and significantly improved reliability over previous technologies.Lockheed Martin has a decade of investment and significant experience in successfully developing GaN-based products. Lockheed Martin is able to procure mature technology that is commercially available, aided by significant investment occurring in the marketplace in areas such as cell phone infrastructure and LED design. This is in alignment with the recent release of Better Buying power 3.0 and the need to leverage commercial technology where applicable to lower development costs and provide greater value for the Department of Defense.In addition to engineering the radar arrays, the Lockheed Martin team also broke ground on the new six-acre Space Fence site earlier this year on Kwajalein Island, 2,100 miles southwest of Honolulu. The construction process is challenging due to the remoteness and cultural and historic significance of the location. The buildings are designed to handle high winds and seismic loads, while maintaining the alignment and accuracy of the radar system.The sensor site installation will include an on-site operations center and an annex to the current island power plant that will ensure the Space Fence system has everything necessary to provide continuous Space Situational Awareness. Once construction is complete, Space Fence will go through testing and validation before its initial operating capability occurs in late 2018.For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.com/spacefence.About Lockheed MartinHeadquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 112,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s net sales for 2014 were $45.6 billion.
WASHINGTON – Lockheed Martin has built a scaled-down version of the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation space surveillance system in New Jersey as a way to test hardware and software for the Space Fence, the company announced March 28.
A long-awaited update to the hardware and software system that will allow the U.S. Air Force to ingest data from its new object tracking system, known as Space Fence, will not be ready until 2018, about 19 months later than previous estimates, an Air Force spokeswoman said April 11.The Air Force has been undergoing a broad modernization of the Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC), the processing center of U.S. military space operations headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.The program, known as the JSpOC Mission System (JMS), is a three-phased, $1 billion initiative to replace or upgrade the hardware and software currently used for space surveillance, collision avoidance, launch support, and providing more precise and timely orbital information. The new system replaces the legacy Space Defense Operations Center, or SPADOC, which Air Force officials say is dated and becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.
While dodging debris is an improvement over not dodging it, is there any effort or plan or even hint of a plan to actually begin debris clean-up? I suspect that we'll be true to form and wait until we are in the full crisis mode -- Kessler cascade has begun -- before we start a crash (no pun intended) program to fix it.
Colorado Springs, Colo.—The head of Air Force Space Command would prefer to have airmen who are doing collision avoidance and orbital analysis focus on other missions, but the military must continue to operate the network for “space control,” AFSPC boss Gen. John Hyten said. The FAA and Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) both recently proposed moving space traffic management tracking from the Air Force to the Federal Aviation Administration, and Hyten said he is “good with” providing data to the FAA and having them “do the math” on collision avoidance. But, he said, the commercial sector will “never have a capability as good as the space fence,” which cost $914 million and will increase the number of objects USAF tracks in space by tenfold. So, Hyten said, there are some details to work through with the FAA to make sure it’s all done right, but “the vision is correct: We shouldn’t be doing flight safety for everybody in the world.”
Not to be a grumpy gus, sounds like an extra layer of bureaucracy that will bloat costs, with no real benefits.
Quote from: AncientU on 04/17/2016 03:27 pmWhile dodging debris is an improvement over not dodging it, is there any effort or plan or even hint of a plan to actually begin debris clean-up? I suspect that we'll be true to form and wait until we are in the full crisis mode -- Kessler cascade has begun -- before we start a crash (no pun intended) program to fix it.so far just talk and endless powerPoint development but everyone is so far to scared to make the first move to actually act on the present data. The keep prodding other to make the first move but no one is budging except those that want to do ASAT testing as the contribution.
While dodging debris is an improvement over not dodging it, is there any effort or plan or even hint of a plan to actually begin debris clean-up?
Quote from: AncientU on 04/17/2016 03:27 pmWhile dodging debris is an improvement over not dodging it, is there any effort or plan or even hint of a plan to actually begin debris clean-up? Who is going to pay for it?
If sufficient 'bounty' was placed on every de-orbited chunk of junk -- using space junk creating and/or space using nations' cash
Quote from: Jim on 04/20/2016 01:44 amQuote from: AncientU on 04/17/2016 03:27 pmWhile dodging debris is an improvement over not dodging it, is there any effort or plan or even hint of a plan to actually begin debris clean-up? Who is going to pay for it?How about the same people that put it up there to begin with, which is to say, predominately, governments. I see it as a needed task that can be performed steadily, and I suspect affordably, over a long period of time. - Ed Kyle
Quote from: AncientU on 04/22/2016 02:53 amIf sufficient 'bounty' was placed on every de-orbited chunk of junk -- using space junk creating and/or space using nations' cash Again, who is going to pay for it? NASA, USAF or ESA isn't. nor is Russian or China.
A seedling does not weigh nearly as much as a full grown tree...
Quote from: kevin-rf on 05/01/2016 09:24 pmA seedling does not weigh nearly as much as a full grown tree...(laughing)That assertion is dependant upon the species of seedling vs. the species of said full grown tree. (self moderated)late for my daily stool softener, I'll leave one out for you on the countertop(seriously)I was thinking more in terms of humans attempting to return an environment to its original state, after said humans have used that same environment.
Quote from: Jim on 04/22/2016 02:00 pmQuote from: AncientU on 04/22/2016 02:53 amIf sufficient 'bounty' was placed on every de-orbited chunk of junk -- using space junk creating and/or space using nations' cash Again, who is going to pay for it? NASA, USAF or ESA isn't. nor is Russian or China.Insurers/underwriters of satellites? The less debris there is up there, the less often they have to pay out. It's a real (and increasing) risk they have to factor into their assessments, so there should be some profit to them in cleaning up the debris.
Anyone else tries to put up a bird in that orbital region without paying the toll, finds their satellite getting accidentally "cleaned up" with the rest of the debris.
Quote from: mikelepage on 08/22/2016 08:20 amAnyone else tries to put up a bird in that orbital region without paying the toll, finds their satellite getting accidentally "cleaned up" with the rest of the debris.Interfering with another nation's satellite is a direct violation of the Outer Space Treaty and I'm sure the AST (or whoever is in charge) would take a dim view on such activities for US satellites.
Quote from: Jim on 04/22/2016 02:00 pmQuote from: AncientU on 04/22/2016 02:53 amIf sufficient 'bounty' was placed on every de-orbited chunk of junk -- using space junk creating and/or space using nations' cash Again, who is going to pay for it? NASA, USAF or ESA isn't. nor is Russian or China.Insurers/underwriters of satellites?
Exactly. They have a vested interest in estimating and controlling the risk.
Quote from: high road on 08/22/2016 11:20 amExactly. They have a vested interest in estimating and controlling the risk. Wrong. It is cheaper to pay out once in a while vs cleaning up
Quote from: mikelepage on 08/22/2016 08:20 amQuote from: Jim on 04/22/2016 02:00 pmQuote from: AncientU on 04/22/2016 02:53 amIf sufficient 'bounty' was placed on every de-orbited chunk of junk -- using space junk creating and/or space using nations' cash Again, who is going to pay for it? NASA, USAF or ESA isn't. nor is Russian or China.Insurers/underwriters of satellites? Most of the debris is not from commercial spacecraft. So no insurers/underwriters
MAUI, Hawaii – A senior Pentagon official said the U.S. Air Force will need to rethink how it issues satellite collision warnings when a new space object tracking system goes online or risk overwhelming satellite operators and hardware systems with overly cautious alerts.In 2018, the Air Force’s next-generation space object tracking system, known as the Space Fence, will go online and detect satellites and space debris 5 centimeters and larger. Defense Department officials said they are optimistic that on the best days, the $900 million Space Fence, built by Lockheed Martin on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, may be able to track objects as small as 1 centimeter. That’s a marked improvement over the Defense Department’s current network of radars and sensors, which tracks objects 10 centimeters and larger.But that additional precision means the Air Force will have tracking data for 200,000 objects, up from the approximately 20,000 objects it tracks today.