The blossom drama between Russia and the Ukraine along the Crimean peninsula is developing , apace and unpredictably — for certain not in - sync with the orbits of our overhead surveillance asset . But if we could somehow get a few purpose - built ( and presumptively rapidly - prototyped ) cube sats up there , the US Air Force could commit extra eyes in the sky on - demand , and keep a unaired watch on what ’s happening on the ground . And that ’s where Northrop Grumman ’s newfangled Modular Space Bus come in .
The Modular Space Bus ( MSV ) is just what it vocalize like , it ’s an intermediary ecstasy for tiny satellites between the launch rocket and their raw celestial orbit . See , you ca n’t just flog a gang of square block sats to the back of a Minotaur rocket engine and desire for the adept ; there needs to be a secondary launch vehicle that put them into the proper orbital flight path once they ’re free of gravity ’s compass . The MSV is that fomite .
This is not science fiction or some drab sky , drawing - control board conception , mind you . Northrop Grumman has already delivered the first arrangement to the USAF after plan and building the MSV in just 30 calendar month for $ 50 million . It will be operated by the Air Force’sOperationally Responsive Space Office(ORS ) out of Kirtland Air Force Base , N.M. to set up of smaller , disposable satellites for short - term deputation — we’re talk a subject of days or weeks at most . Potential mission types might include radar imaging , projectile warning , military communications , and “ weather studies . ”
“ Because MSV is the first to implement place chaw - and - manoeuvre touchstone with simplified , standard hardware and software port , the bus topology is loaded with tractability , ” said Doug Young , vice president , Missile Defense and Advanced Missions , Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems . charge . With flexibleness .
Marketing slang aside , the MSV ’s modular nature really is quite flexible . Sensors and payloads can easy be swapped in and out to meet the specific mission necessary , while its standardized hardware and package requirements ensure that no matter which company makes the payload , every constituent will mold in unison .
“ MSV ply ways for succeeding maturation of speedy reply space capability that will be timely , cost - efficient and flexible , ” say Doug Young , vice chairman , Missile Defense and Advanced Missions , Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems , said in a press instruction . “ A satellite bus contains the supporting bodily structure and dominance subsystem that admit the cargo to perform its missionary post . ”
What ’s more , the MSV itself is able to operate at low , medium , and geosynchronous scope and can hitch a drive on a number of dissimilar rocket types including the Minotaur I and IV . Plus it can well don and throw off batteries and solar arrays to beseem the mission . If only this thing were recoverable and reusable , it ’d be perfect . [ WSJ – UPI – Northrop Grumman – Defense Systems ]
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