U.S. Defense contractor Northrop Grumman has won a prototype award with a total value of $155 million for a satellite sensor to detect and track hypersonic and advanced missile threats in space.
The contract award from U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) was competitively solicited among awardees of the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor Phase IIA effort, which was competitively awarded as a prototype other transaction pursuant to 10 U.S. Code § 2371b.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense contract announcement, under this award, the performer will provide the MDA’s Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor program with an on-orbit prototype demonstration, culminating with launch and early orbit testing.
The award continues Northrop Grumman’s longstanding partnership with the MDA and broader space and missile defense community on solving critical national security challenges.
Also noted that the work will be performed in Redondo Beach, California, with an estimated completion date of July 22, 2023.
NG says the new space sensor is meant for a proposed satellite constellation to provide the US military with the capability to track hypersonic and ballistic missile threats.
In addition, earlier in December 2019, Northrop Grumman Missile Defense Solutions vice-president Kenneth Todorov said: “We are a leading technology company that has for decades been supporting the space and missile defense missions of our government customers.
“HBTSS [Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor] is an important undertaking that allows us to see advanced threats like hypersonic missiles in ways we haven’t been able to before. If you can see the threats, you can take them out.