DARPA’s SeeMe Satellites Are a Soldier’s On-Demand Eye In the Sky

While UAVs have link spy satellites as an essential part of America ’s military operation — specially in delivering timely , accurate intel to troops on the primer coat — they are not the end - all - be - all pure solution , even in coordination . That ’s why DARPA plans to supplement these remote-controlled intelligence gathering platforms with spirt - deployed constellations of micro - satellite . shortly , every grunt will have access to a real - meter battleground mini - map just in like video plot .

Spy satellites and UAVs alike suffer from the same problem — availability . Sure some UAVs in the US armory can remain airborne for the unspoilt part of two twenty-four hours while providing focused area coverage but they finally have to refuel which leads to intel reporting gap . Orbiting satellites do n’t need to refuel but their operational windows — and therefore the wide expanse visualize they are able-bodied to provide — are limited by their overflight schedule ( the amount of fourth dimension they ’re really overhead ) . When combined with information flow restrictions through the chain of program line , in reality delivering fresh , tactical intel can be a challenge . In response , DARPA has set about create a hybridized , tertiary layer of word gathering that leverage the proportional strengths of both applied science and deport that information now to the scout group that require it most desperately .

“ We ’re putting near - literal prison term data where the warfighter require it – instantly into their hands – and provide them with vital , tactical intelligence service they can control , ” said Tom Bussing , frailty president of Advanced Missile Systems at Raytheon Missile Systems in a press release .

Last December , DARPA awarded Raytheon a $ 1.5 million contract for Phase One ontogeny of the Space enable upshot for Military Engagements ( SeeMe ) task . SeeMe will utilize constellations of micro - satellite to render soldier with precise orbiter tomography of their precise location within 90 minutes . Each SeeMe artificial satellite will measure about 3 feet long , a fundament in diameter , weigh around 25 pounds , and bear a $ 500,000 price tag . Two twelve such artificial satellite would be shot into very low arena via attack aircraft jet ( DARPA ’s hop to eventually habituate the Airborne Launch Assist Space Access ( ALASA ) for these deployment ) and stay overhead for 45 day to three month before completely burn up on atmospherical reentry .

“ SeeMe is a coherent auxiliary to UAV technology , which will cover to provide local or regional very gamy - resolution reporting , but which ca n’t cover extended area without frequent fueling , ” DARPA program manager Dave Barnhart told United press International ( UPI ) . The project has just gotten out of the design phase so there ’s no timetable yet for deployment but Raytheon is reportedly already building a half dozen prototypes for Phase two testing .

[ UPI – Raytheon – DARPA ]

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