The U.S. Space Force’s Space Development Agency said it received initial images from its first missile-warning satellites launched April 2 to low Earth orbit. “First tracking sats, built by SpaceX, achieved first light: infrared images using wide-field-of-view sensors,” the agency said June 14 in a twitter post. The two tracking satellites were part of SDA’s first Tranche 0 launch, which also included eight data-transport satellites made by York Space Systems. SDA plans to build a proliferated low Earth orbit network of data-transport satellites and a constellation of infrared sensor satellites to provide a defense shield against Russian and Chinese ballistic and hypersonic missiles. The eight York satellites are “performing as expected,” SDA said, although one of them had an “assembly issue.” These transport satellites will remain in their initial orbit to conduct tests of their Link 16 data-communications terminals. “Will raise orbit once initial tactical comms testing is done,” said the agency. SDA was expecting to launch the second batch of Tranche 0 satellites in late June but that mission is likely to be delayed by at least a month, the agency said. There are 13 satellites in SDA’s second launch.
Full story : Space Development Agency’s missile warning satellites transmit first images.
