$29M To Start US Satellite Protection Program

Posted by kdawson on Friday October 24, 2008 @08:32AM from the space-race dept.

coondoggie sends in a Network World piece that begins "The Air Force laid out $29 million in contracts this week to build space-based sensors that could detect threats or hazards and protect satellites in orbit. Assurance Technologies and Lockheed Martin Space Systems will split $20 million of the two-year contract that the Air Force says should ultimately demonstrate a viable sensing capability, as well as integration with other space systems to offer threat and hazard detection, assessment and notification ... The Air Force is looking to protect satellites from ground based lasers or anti-satellite missiles mostly."

1 of 74 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Re:laser protection? by wiggles · 2008-10-24 09:09 · Score: 4, Informative

If you had read the first paragraph of TFA, you would have read this:

demonstrate a viable sensing capability, as well as integration with other space systems to offer threat and hazard detection, assessment and notification.
In other words, it's not so much about protecting the satellite, but confirming that the satellite was or was not hit by some sort of laser. That would be some pretty valuable intelligence, if you ask me. The system will tell DOD that somebody's shooting at their stuff, not preventing someone from shooting at them.