Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $3.9 million contract to continue developing a technology the U.S. Air Force plans to use for tracking and sharing data on assets and debris in space.
The Non-Traditional Data Pre-Processor is intended as an expansion to the Integrated Space Command Control system and is aimed at helping operators share data with the Air Force’s Joint Space Operations Center via sensors and satellites, Lockheed announced Jan. 9.
“The cars we drive on Earth have mirrors and sensors to prevent bumps and scrapes, but if you’re trying to avoid rapidly moving debris in space, you’ll need enhanced situational awareness, ” said Rob Smith, vice president of C4ISR systems for Lockheed’s IS&GS business.
“Space has no national borders so it’s important to share collected data to protect all the space assets currently orbiting the planet.”
ISC2 is intended as an air and missile warning information system for the U.S. president, Joint Chiefs of Staff and Canadian prime minister in the event of an attack on North America.
U.S. Strategic Command and Air Force Space Command also plan to use the ISC2 to track and catalog more than 23, 000 space objects through the Space Surveillance Network.
