Northrop Grumman has completed two ground test milestones for the Space Tracking and Surveillance System, taking the Missile Defense Agency-run program closer to its 2008 launch date. The site for the final ground segment acceptance test was Schriever AFB, Colo., culminating work begun more than two years ago, according to a company release. Schriever also was the site for the readiness test, a 72-hour event that proved the ground system could operate the first two STSS satellites. The system successfully demonstrated surveillance, detection, tracking, and reporting of a simulated test target launch from Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
The Space Force’s small size has limited its capacity to consider what role it will play in future operations on and around the moon. That needs to change, according to Vice Chief of Operations Gen. Shawn Bratton.
