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US Military Aims to Launch Cheap New 'Blackjack' Spy Satellites in 2021
Space.com ^ | August 28, 2018 07:17am ET | Mike Wall,

Posted on 08/28/2018 7:44:42 PM PDT by BenLurkin

Most U.S. reconnaissance craft are purpose-built monoliths that operate in geostationary orbit, about 22,300 miles (35,800 kilometers) above Earth. Though these singletons are extremely capable, they're expensive, typically costing $1 billion or more to build, launch and operate. And it takes a decade or so to develop each one, said Paul "Rusty" Thomas, of the Tactical Technology Office at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

The nation's current spy satellites, therefore, aren't terribly responsive to new technologies and new developments, and they represent "big, fat, juicy targets" to adversaries, Thomas said last week during a presentation with NASA's Future In-Space Operations (FISO) working group.

It's unclear at the moment which sensors will ride aboard the Blackjack satellites; program officials are currently evaluating payload and spacecraft-bus proposals, which were submitted before a June 6 deadline. Blackjack will award a total of $117.5 million to winning bidders in these areas, DARPA officials have said. (The program will also soon start soliciting proposals for other aspects of the program, such as software that will give the satellites high levels of autonomy...)

But we can make some informed guesses, based on what DARPA envisions the LEO constellation doing. For example, the new constellation will likely improve U.S. missile-warning and missile-defense capabilities and augment the current global positioning system navigation network, among other duties...

(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...


TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: blackjack; darpa; military; miltech; reconnaissance; satellites; space; spysatellites; surveillance

1 posted on 08/28/2018 7:44:42 PM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin
The agency has mounted a program called Blackjack, which aims to loft a network of 20 prototype spy satellites to low Earth orbit (LEO) in 2021.

21 prototypes spy satellites would have been nice.

2 posted on 08/28/2018 7:47:56 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy (The MSM is in the business of creating a fake version of reality for political reasons.)
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To: BenLurkin

“The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is developing a prototype line of cost-effective reconnaissance satellites that will set up shop in low Earth orbit, as part of a program called Blackjack.
Credit: DARPA”


3 posted on 08/28/2018 7:50:14 PM PDT by Innovative ("Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." -- Vince Lombardi)
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To: BenLurkin
I was just thinking the other day, an iPhone would make quite a satellite.

I mean, take the computer power in an iPhone, add a few additional sensors and a telephoto lens, and some solar panels, and launch them by the thousands.

I've heard rumors that they've got a way to break the diffraction limit for telephoto optics, so that may not even be necessary any more.

The computer power in an iPhone today is like a mainframe of 20 years ago, and like a Cray of 30 years ago.

4 posted on 08/28/2018 7:50:37 PM PDT by Steely Tom ([Seth Rich] == [the Democrat's John Dean])
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To: BenLurkin

Wonder if they have the detonation sensors like the old Vela birds? I’m sure it’s something way improved now.

I like how the geosync birds were described as having staring sensors, too.


5 posted on 08/28/2018 7:51:48 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: All

I guess it is now called:

The program is now called the Integrated Operational NuDet (Nuclear Detonation) Detection System (IONDS).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vela_(satellite)


6 posted on 08/28/2018 7:53:51 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: BenLurkin

7 posted on 08/28/2018 8:05:38 PM PDT by gaijin
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To: BenLurkin

And then we can wait for the next Democratic president/congress to sell the plans to China/Russia.

Or, Hillary can put them on her server located in the septic tank located right over McButface’s grave.


8 posted on 08/28/2018 8:06:23 PM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: BenLurkin

And then we can wait for the next Democratic president/congress to sell the plans to China/Russia.

Or, Hillary can put them on her server located in the septic tank located right over McButface’s grave.


9 posted on 08/28/2018 8:17:12 PM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: BenLurkin

And then we can wait for the next Democratic president/congress to sell the plans to China/Russia.

Or, Hillary can put them on her server located in the septic tank located right over McButface’s grave.


10 posted on 08/28/2018 8:17:13 PM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: Steely Tom

Google “cubesat”


11 posted on 08/28/2018 8:28:20 PM PDT by bigbob (Trust Sessions. Trust the Plan.)
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To: BenLurkin

12 posted on 08/28/2018 8:54:58 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (#DeplorableMe #BitterClinger #HillNO! #cishet #MyPresident #MAGA #Winning #covfefe)
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To: Innovative

“Better, Faster, Cheaper”. Pick two.


13 posted on 08/29/2018 8:20:53 AM PDT by bruin66 (Time: Nature's way of keeping everything from happening at once..)
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