Maj. Gen. DeAnna Burt, commander of Combined Force Space Component Command (CFSCC), told C4ISRNET in an interview published on Friday about plans to improve missile warning satellites and one of those is the need to equip satellite constellations, ground systems and other space-based missile warning capabilities with software that could be reprogrammed quickly in response to threats.
“For the future, we’re looking at how do you create app-based applications to then allow you to expand or contract your constellations as need be. This is now software-based versus hardware-based,” Burt said. “I’m not necessarily worried about the chassis and the bus itself. I’m more concerned about the guts, and can I reprogram the software more rapidly to adjust to threats and other things happening. And you’re doing that both on the satellite and in the ground system, as well as any receiver equipment.”
She cited the need to protect such systems from cyber threats and noted that diversification in the satellite development industry helps reduce costs and promote competition.
When asked about the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) tracking layer and Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared satellites, Burt said those missile warning satellite programs are meant to improve the country’s “resiliency, our accuracy and reporting, and to address emerging and future threats.”
