Content deleted Content added
m Fixed CS1 maint: extra punctuation and general fixes |
|||
Line 1:
{{Short description|Missile warning and defence system}}
{{Distinguish|SBIR}}▼
{{Use American English|date=February 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
▲{{Distinguish|SBIR}}
[[File:SBIRS-Architecture.png|thumb|upright=1.0|right|Configuration of SBIRS systems: GEO, HEO and Low components.]]
Line 19 ⟶ 18:
According to the [[Government Accountability Office]] (GAO), these attempts failed due to immature technology, high cost, and affordability issues. SBIRS is to use more sophisticated infrared technologies than the DSP to enhance the detection of strategic and theater ballistic missile launches and the performance of the missile-tracking function.
The original contract consisted of 2 SBIRS HEO satellite sensors and 2-3 SBIRS GEO sensors (and satellites) with an option to buy a total of 5 GEOs. A complement of satellites in [[low Earth orbit]] (LEO) was planned as part of the program (SBIRS-Low), but this has been moved into the [[Space Tracking and Surveillance System]] (STSS) program.
SBIRS continues to struggle with cost overruns,<ref>{{cite web|title=Intelligence Authorization Act For Fiscal Year 2000: Space-Based Infrared System-High (House Report 106-130)|date=7 May 1999|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-106hrpt130/html/CRPT-106hrpt130-pt1.htm
On 2 June 2009, [[Lockheed Martin]] announced it had been awarded a contract for the third SBIRS HEO payload and the third SBIRS GEO satellite, and for associated ground equipment modifications.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2009/0602ss-sbirs.html|title=U.S. Air Force Awards Lockheed Martin US$1.5-Billion Contract For SBIRS Follow-On Spacecraft|publisher=Lockheed Martin |date=June 2, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605074247/http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2009/0602ss-sbirs.html|archive-date=June 5, 2009}}</ref> On 10 July 2009, Lockheed Martin was awarded US$262.5 million as down payment by the USAF towards the purchase of a fourth satellite.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSN1026553020090710|title=Lockheed gets US$262.5 million U.S. satellite down payment|work=Reuters|date=July 10, 2009|first=Julie
|last=Vorman}}</ref> The first SBIRS GEO satellite of the SBIRS program, [[USA-230|SBIRS GEO-1]], was successfully launched from [[Cape Canaveral Space Force Station|Cape Canaveral]] on an [[Atlas V]] launch vehicle on 7 May 2011.<ref name="United Launch Alliance report">{{cite press release|title=United Launch Alliance Marks 50th Successful Launch by Delivering the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Satellite to Orbit for the U.S. Air Force|url=http://www.ulalaunch.com/united-launch-alliance-marks-50th.aspx?title=United+Launch+Alliance+Marks+50th+Successful+Launch+by+Delivering+the+Space-Based+Infrared+System+(SBIRS)+Satellite+to+Orbit+for+the+U.S.+Air+Force&archived=True&Category=all&Page=53|publisher=United Launch Alliance|access-date=14 November 2017|date=7 May 2011}}</ref> In June 2014, Lockheed Martin was contracted by the [[United States Air Force|USAF]] to build SBIRS GEO-5 and SBIRS GEO-6, at a cost of US$1.86 billion.<ref name=geo56contract>{{cite web|title=Contracts for May 25, 2017|date=25 May 2017|url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1194658/|publisher=U.S. Department of Defense|access-date=13 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.losangeles.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/734759/sbirs-geo-5-6-contract-awarded/|title=SBIRS GEO 5, 6 Contract Awarded|publisher=U.S. Air Force|location=Los Angeles Air Force Base|date=June 27, 2014|access-date=January 4, 2018}}</ref><ref name=geo56>{{cite press release|title=U.S. Air Force Awards Lockheed Martin Contract For Next Two SBIRS Missile Defense Early Warning Satellites|url=https://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2014/june/0624-ss-sbirs.html|website=lockheedmartin.com|publisher=Lockheed Martin|date=24 June 2014|access-date=13 November 2017}}</ref>
The FY 2021 budget allocates US$2.5 billion to SBIRS for the [[United States Space Force]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2079489/dod-releases-fiscal-year-2021-budget-proposal/|title=DoD Releases Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Proposal|publisher=U.S. Department of Defense|date=10 February 2020|access-date=11 February 2021}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
Line 33 ⟶ 32:
'''SBIRS High''' (also now simply referred to as "SBIRS") is to consist of four dedicated satellites operating in geosynchronous Earth orbit, and sensors on two host satellites operating in a highly elliptical orbit. SBIRS High will replace the [[Defense Support Program]] (DSP) satellites and is intended primarily to provide enhanced strategic and theater ballistic missile warning capabilities. [[USA-230|SBIRS High GEO 1]] was launched on 7 May 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-military-satellite-idUSTRE7462AW20110507|title=Rocket blasts off with missile-warning satellite |agency=Reuters|date=7 May 2011}}</ref> Two SBIRS sensors hosted on two classified satellites in highly elliptical orbit have already been launched,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2009/0602ss-sbirs.html|title=U.S. Air Force Awards Lockheed Martin US$1.5-Billion Contract For SBIRS Follow-On Spacecraft|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605074247/http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2009/0602ss-sbirs.html|archive-date=2009-06-05}}</ref> probably as part of the [[List of NRO satellites|NROL-22]] (USA 184) and [[List of NRO satellites|NROL-28]] (USA 200) launches in 2006 and 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Sep-2005/0336.html|title=Molczan in Satobs message 30 September 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Feb-2008/0515.html|title=Molczan in Satobs message 24 February 2008}}</ref> USA 184 and USA 200 are believed by analysts to be [[Signals intelligence|ELINT]] satellites in the family of [[Jumpseat (satellite)|JUMPSEAT]] and [[Trumpet (satellite)|TRUMPET]]; TRUMPET has been reported to have carried an infrared sensor called [[HERITAGE]].
The prime contractor for SBIRS is [[Lockheed Martin]], with [[Northrop Grumman]] as the major subcontractor. Lockheed Martin also provides the satellite for SBIRS GEO. The system's expected deployment was delayed from December 2009 to 2011 because of problems with Lockheed's workmanship on system components, including unresolved software malfunctions and several broken solder joints in a subcontract procured [[gyroscope]] assembly on the first spacecraft being built.<ref>{{cite news |last=Capaccio |first=Tony
It was feared that a further launch postponement into late 2011 would lead to conflict with the planned launches of [[NASA]]'s [[Juno (spacecraft)|Juno]] spacecraft and [[Mars Science Laboratory]], which would all use the same launch facility.<ref>Thompson, Loren B. [http://www.lexingtoninstitute.org/launch-priority-missile-warning-has-to-come-first?a=1&c=1171 Launch Priority: Missile Warning Has To Come First] [[Lexington Institute]] 22 October 2010</ref> However, the first GEO launch, SBIRS GEO-1, was successfully conducted on 7 May 2011.<ref name="United Launch Alliance report"/>
| |||