Image courtesy BAE Systems

New technology will radically improve and increase continuous target tracking

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded BAE Systems’ FAST Labs research and development organisation a $7 million contract for the Oversight autonomous space-based target custody programme.

 
Traditional space intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) collection can be siloed, labour intensive and unable to dynamically re-evaluate quickly enough to take advantage of new space systems. To address this, DARPA, the US Space Force and the Space Development Agency are developing satellite constellations to improve the tactical relevance of US space systems.
 
Proliferated low earth orbit satellite constellations are significantly expanding on-orbit ISR capabilities. The DARPA Oversight programme will focus on creating an autonomous system that maintains constant 'custody' of a large number of assets across new, diversified constellations. Under the terms of the programme, the technology will be deployed to both tactical-edge satellites and ground stations.
 
“Rapidly advancing near-peer adversary capabilities are driving a need for additional long-range tracking at increased scale and timeliness,” said Dr John Grimes, director of Small Satellites at BAE Systems’ FAST Labs. “To meet this requirement, our team includes technical expertise in autonomy, space processing, ISR systems, tactical-edge software development, system integration and architectures and mission focus.”
 
Work on the programme, which is part of BAE Systems’ autonomous technologies portfolio, includes collaboration with subcontractors OmniTeq and AIMdyn, Inc.