SpaceX Wins Pentagon Contract - Satellites for Military

-

SpaceX To Build Hypersonic and Ballistic Missile Tracking Satellites



                     Source: Artist Image of Hypersonic Missile

New, Highly Advanced Satellite Technology

The US Department of Defense has awarded SpaceX a $149 million contract to build hypersonic and ballistic missile tracking and warning satellites.  The satellites will be positioned in low-Earth orbit similar to Starlink.  Starlink is SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's mega-constellation of satellites to provide the world broadband internet at inexpensive prices.  The Pentagon contract is a first for SpaceX and yet another major win for CEO Elon Musk.  This contract comes 3 weeks after US Defense Secretary Mark Espey announced that China and Russia have weaponized space with killer satellites and directed energy weapons.

New, Advanced Satellite Technology

The new satellites for the military will have wide field of vision, infrared sensors that can pinpoint and track potential missile threats coming in from space at hypersonic speeds and then help to trigger missile defense systems.  The SpaceX contract is with the Space Development Agency within the Pentagon.   The satellites are a new design but they are based on the existing bus from Starlink broadband models.

Launch in Late 2022

L3 Harris won a similar contract to SpaceX to build satellites for the military.  The Space Development Agency hopes to launch a combined 8 satellites from both companies in late 2022.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Extreme Electric Surfboard

-
Image
  Surfing With No Waves Needed, Anytime of Year                                                                                Source:  Awake Surfboard Can Hit 36 MPH Sweden-based Awake has developed a powerful electric surfboard that can hit speeds of 36 mph.  It can accelerate from 0 to 30 mph in just 4 seconds.  The Ravik S 22 electric surfboard is able to surf on any body of water any time of year including on snowy winter days.  And, it doesn't need waves to surf! It provides an extreme surfing ride, developed by an award-winning surfboard company. Tech Specs The e-board is powered by a 12-kW brushless motor.  The motor has three speed settings and three throttle sensitivity modes.  It has a wireless speed control system that cuts throttle response time down to .02 seconds.  The quick response time makes it much easier for the surfer to time turns and jumps.  A 1.9-kW battery provides a ride time of 15 to 20 minutes. That version of the board is priced at $15,000. An extended
Read more

New Electric Surfboard from Sweden

-
Image
  Surfing With No Waves Needed, Anytime of Year                                                                                Source:  Awake Surfboard Can Hit 36 MPH Sweden-based Awake has developed a powerful electric surfboard that can hit speeds of 36 mph.  It can accelerate from 0 to 30 mph in just 4 seconds.  The Ravik S 22 electric surfboard is able to surf on any body of water any time of year including on snowy winter days.  And, it doesn't need waves to surf! It provides an extreme surfing ride, developed by an award-winning surfboard company. Tech Specs The e-board is powered by a 12-kW brushless motor.  The motor has three speed settings and three throttle sensitivity modes.  It has a wireless speed control system that cuts throttle response time down to .02 seconds.  The quick response time makes it much easier for the surfer to time turns and jumps.  A 1.9-kW battery provides a ride time of 15 to 20 minutes. That version of the board is priced at $15,000. An extended
Read more

Electric, New MG Cyberster Sports Car

-
Image
  China's SAIC Revolutionizes the Historic British MG Brand                                              Source:  MG Cyberster Electric MG Sport Car Concept Becomes a Reality The legendary sports car company MG was founded in the 1920's in Oxford, England. It enjoyed a long history of creating iconic MG, 2 seat sports cars. It is now China owned and China based, acquired a few years ago by SAIC Motors.  The new MG has a fabulous concept car the Cyberster.  It's an all electric sports car that was recently introduced at the Shanghai 2021 Motor Show.  MG just announced the vehicle is going from concept and into production.  MG calls it the "world's first purely electric e-sports cockpit".  The design of this electric vehicle is sleek, futuristic and highly styled with a wide grill that is a throwback to the original MGB as are the round headlights that open like eyes when the car is turned on.  It is truly an iconic, all electric sports car. EV Capabilities The
Read more