NGG completes preliminary design reviews
The US Space Force (USSF) Space and Missile Systems Centre has completed preliminary design reviews of its Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) Geosynchronous Earth Orbiting (GEO) satellite programme, otherwise known as NGG.
The programme is developing two IR mission payloads as an effort to mitigate risks to the launch schedule for the first NGG satellite due to be launched in 2025.
Separate teams from Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems and Northrop Grumman (in partnership with Ball Aerospace) will each design, manufacture, assemble, integrate, test and deliver one mission payload to be included on the first two of three NGG satellites.
Col Dennis Bythewood, USSF programme 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.’
A contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin in August 2018 for the delivery of three NCG space vehicles.
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