Northrop Grumman develops space-based hypersonic missile defense system

Northrop Grumman, one of the world’s largest defense contractors, announced on Monday that it has been selected as one of four Other Transaction Authority awards for the Phase IIa Prototype Payload Design and Signal-chain Processing Demonstration of the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) program.

Hypersonic systems are a game-changer for national security. Hypersonic systems will travel at Mach 5 and potentially even faster.

According to a recent company news release, Northrop Grumman is developing a highly capable, affordable, survivable and extensible space-based sensing solution for hypersonic and ballistic missile defense. The company’s concept advances under the HBTSS Phase IIa program.

The 12-month HBTSS Phase IIa will demonstrate the payload design for a proposed satellite constellation to detect and track hypersonic and advanced missile threats. Phase IIa retires technical risk through the demonstration of critical technologies required to track advanced weapons like hypersonic missiles from space.

The award continues Northrop Grumman’s longstanding partnership with the Missile Defense Agency and broader space and missile defense community on solving critical national security challenges. Northrop Grumman will demonstrate its agile and affordable approach to producing space-based sensors in large quantities for proliferated, global operations.

“We are a leading technology company that has for decades been supporting the space and missile defense missions of our government customers,” said Kenneth Todorov, vice president, Missile Defense Solutions, Northrop Grumman. “HBTSS 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.”

“Through the HBTSS program, we’re leveraging our broad base of talent and technology to develop an affordable and extensible solution for this critical component of our nation’s missile defense system.”

Northrop Grumman is building Phase IIa upon the concepts developed in Phase I. Work will be performed at various company locations in the United States.