Lockheed Martin, US Airforce Developing Radar System To Improve Predictability, Prevent Space-Based Collisions

The US Air force and Lockheed Martin will construct the S-band ground-based radar system to improve the way objects are tracked in orbit and increase the ability to predict and prevent space-based collisions.

The radar system is designed to replace the 1960s Air Force Space Surveillance System. "The number of small satellites and satellite operators around the world is skyrocketing, rapidly crowding an environment already congested by the more than 17,000 pieces of space debris that we are able to track today," said Steve Bruce, vice president for Advanced Systems at Lockheed Martin's Mission Systems and Training business in its press release on Monday.

"By comparison, when it comes online in 2018, Space Fence will enable the Air Force to locate and track hundreds of thousands of objects orbiting Earth with more precision than ever before to help reduce the potential for collisions with our critical space-based infrastructure."Bruce added.

In addition to the radar arrays, the Kwajalein 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.

Lockheed Martin won the $915 million contract in June of 2014 to engineer, manufacture and deploy the Space Fence radar system. The total contract value is estimated at greater than $1.5 billion over an eight-year period of performance if all options are exercised.