Space Force Expands Missile Defense Satellite Network
The U.S. Space Force has started a new chapter in its mission to develop a missile-tracking satellite system.
Request for Proposals
Recently, the Space Systems Command invited companies to send in their designs for the Missile Track Custody Epoch 2 satellites. This is part of a bigger plan to create a network in medium Earth orbit (MEO) that can track missiles.
Building on Past Work
Epoch 2 will build on the foundation of Epoch 1, which was the first set of these satellites. Millennium Space Systems is working on the first six Epoch 1 satellites, expected to launch around late 2026 or early 2027. Initially, Raytheon was to build three Epoch 1 satellites, but their contract was canceled due to cost and schedule issues.
Prototype Testing
The Space Force wants prototype proposals to test and try out new tech before they start making a lot of these satellites.
Sometimes I think it’s cool how they keep pushing for better technology to protect us.
They plan to spend about $6 billion from 2025 to 2029 to develop and buy up to 18 satellites. These satellites will talk to each other through optical links to keep an eye on missile threats all the time.
How They Work
These missile-tracking satellites can spot and follow the launch and path of possible threats. They use special sensors to detect the heat from missile launches and follow their flight path, giving early warnings to defense systems.
Officials say MEO satellites are better for tracking new threats like hypersonic glide vehicles because they move fast, change direction, and have low heat signatures. This makes them tricky to track with lower or higher orbit satellites.
Part of a Bigger Picture
This MEO satellite network is part of the Department of Defense’s larger plan. The plan includes low Earth orbit satellites and others in geosynchronous and highly elliptical orbits, creating a layered system for missile defense.
