The U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center, Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) Geosynchronous Earth Orbiting (GEO) satellite program, commonly referred to as NGG, completed its preliminary design reviews (PDR) for its two candidate mission payloads on May 21.
The NGG program is developing two infrared mission payloads in a competitive, parallel development effort to mitigate schedule risks for the first NGG satellite launch in 2025.
The two mission payload providers, Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems (RSAS) and Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems (NGAS), will each design, manufacture, assemble, integrate, test, and deliver one mission payload to fly on the first two of three planned NGG satellites.
As the Space Force pushes for rapid delivery of the first NGG satellite for launch by 2025, this key milestone demonstrates the program is on track. Successfully completing the payload PDRs was especially important, as the payloads are the critical path for the first NGG satellite delivery. The team plans to wrap up the system PDR campaign this fall and drive towards the system critical design review (CDR) in the fall of 2021.
The NGG contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin on August 14, 2018, for the design, development, manufacture, integration, test, and delivery of three Next Generation OPIR GEO space vehicles. Lockheed Martin held a competitive source selection and awarded subcontracts to both RSAS and NGAS for development and build of two separate mission payloads in October of 2018. The Government and Lockheed Martin will determine later which of the payloads will integrate on the first and second satellites. Lockheed Martin will also competitively select one of the two subcontractors to build an additional payload to fly on the third NGG satellite.
Col. Dennis Bythewood, program executive officer for Space Development, said NGG is a critical piece of our missile warning architecture that will deliver a capable, resilient, and defensible missile warning system to counter determined adversaries. This milestone demonstrates SMC’s ability to move with deliberate speed, while maintaining the technical and programmatic rigor needed to ensure success.”
Col. Dan Walter, the Next Generation OPIR Space Segment program manager, offered that these reviews demonstrated that the competing NGG mission payload contractors will provide the critical missile warning performance required for the nation to operate in a contested space environment. The two successful reviews were key milestones in demonstrating our readiness to move forward. Our next steps are the build and test of engineering design units, or EDUs, and procurement of critical flight hardware for the first Space Vehicle delivery in 2025. The mission payload EDUs will be critical enablers to demonstrate mission capabilities and exercise key integration activities that will burn down program risk before the space flight hardware is delivered.
Artistic rendition of STSS missile tracking satellites helping to destroy incoming, long-range warheads as part of a test in the Pacific test range. Image is courtesy of Northrop Grumman.