The Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles AFB, Calif., plans on Jan. 25-26 to hold an industry discussion about development of a Space Based Space Surveillance Objective System. The proposed SBSS system would be a constellation of electro-optical sensing satellites that will search for, detect, and track objects in near earth and deep space orbits. It builds upon a 1996 concept demonstration called the Space Based Visible Telescope, which USAF deployed on the Mid-course Space Experiment satellite. The SBV telescope is approaching its end of life.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
