DSP Satellites: Supporting America’s Early-Warning System

The DSP Satellites

DSP satellites use an infrared sensor to detect heat from missile and booster plumes against the earth’s background. The first DSP was launched in 1970, and the final DSP bird was orbited in 2007.

The spacecraft and sensor were upgraded several times throughout production to protect against evolving worldwide threats. In 1995, improvements were also made to ground processing systems, in order to improve detection of short-range missiles.

Today’s DSP-I (improved) weighs 5,200 pounds vs. just 2,000 pounds for the original versions, requires 1,275 watts of power vs. 400, uses 6,000 detectors vs. 2,000, and is approximately 33 feet long and 14 feet in diameter. Recent technological improvements in sensor design include above-the-horizon capability for full hemispheric coverage and improved resolution, as well as increased on-board signal-processing capability.

The DSP constellation is being replaced by the SIBRS-High program. Unfortunately, that program has been beset by massive cost overruns, technical challenges that continue to present problems, and uncertain performance. Despite its problems, the U.S. Air Force is proceeding with the program. Until SIBRS-High is ready, however, the DSP constellation will be the USA’s sentinel against ballistic missile launches.

Contracts & Key Events

The development and acquisition of DSP satellites is managed by the Space Based Infrared System Program Office at the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (Air Force Materiel Command) at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA. Contracts usually list the Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA as the issuer.

January 07/19: Northtrop tapped for DSP. The Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman Corp. a $7.7 million contract option modification for the Defense Support Program (DSP) on-orbit satellite and anomaly resolution support. The DSP operates the reconnaissance satellites which form the principal component of the Satellite Early Wing System currently used by the US. The Northrop Grumman-built DSP satellites use infrared detectors that sense the heat from missile plumes against the earth background. The orbiting sentries detect, characterize as well a report ballistic missile launches and see nuclear detonations. Back in September 2018 Northrop Grumman was awarded a $19.2 million modification to the same contract. Work will be completed by September 30, 2019.

July 17/14: Political. The Senate Appropriations Committee approves a $489.6 billion base FY 2015 budget, plus $59.7 billion in supplemental funding. One item is very consequential to the DSP constellation:

Defense Meteorological Satellite Program [DMSP]. — The budget request includes $87,000,000 for storage, integration, test, launch, and early-orbit checkout of one Defense Meteorological Satellite Program [DMSP] satellite. Air Force analysis indicates this satellite will not be needed on-orbit until 2020, costing an additional $425,000,000 in storage during that period. This amount is excessive for a 1990s technology satellite originally costing approximately $500,000,000. The Committee is aware that only a few of the capabilities provided by this satellite cannot be met by other existing civil and commercial satellites. The Committee questions the Air Force’s current plan to launch this satellite in 2020 at a significant cost to the Government for a capability that may be met through other space-based assets. Therefore, Committee directs the Air Force to reassess its plan for the last DMSP and pursue a least cost approach for the disposition of this satellite. Of the amount requested for DMSP, the Committee provides $30,000,000.

At the same time, however, the SAC votes to allot $125 million to add a competed EELV launch order in FY 2015. The USAF has indicated that they might prefer to launch DSP-20 as soon as possible, rather than scrap it. Especially if this helps to extricate them from the mess created by restricting competitive launches and triggering a lawsuit from SpaceX. Note that the FY 2015 budget still has to be voted on in the whole Senate, then reconciled in committee with the House of Representatives’ defense budget, then signed into law by the President. Sources: Senate SAC, “Committee Approves FY 2015 Department of Defense Appropriations Bill – Report: Department of Defense” | DID, “FY15 US Defense Budget Finally Complete with War Funding” | DID, “Sued from Orbit: SpaceX and the EELV Contract“.

July 15/14: DSP-20 to compete. The USAF got some pushback about the ULA block buy at the House Armed Services Committee hearings on July 10th. USAF Secretary Deborah Lee James is telling reporters that they’re looking to reprogram $100 million, and move the DMSP-20 weather satellite launch into FY 2015 as a competed contract. That would raise the number of purchased FY 2015 launches to 6, but the amount committed strongly suggests that SpaceX would win the deal. Sources: DoD Buzz, “Air Force Seeks $100 Million for Rocket Rivalry” | Space Politics, “DOD official defends EELV block buy, endorses launch competition”.

Sept 27/13: FY 2014. Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems in Redondo Beach, CA receives a $19.3 million cost-plus-award-fee contract for FY 2014 DSP on-orbit support and sustainment. This modification provides for another 110,392 labor hour, including factory level operations, DSP spacecraft and sensor management & support, on-site support, and in depth missile threat analysis to the 2nd Space Warning Squadron.

Work will be performed at Redondo Beach, CA, and is expected to be complete by Sept 30/14 (FA8810-09-C-0001, PO 0080).

Sept 26/12: FY 2013. Northrup Grumman Space and Mission Systems in Redondo Beach, CA receives a $41.1 million contract modification for FY 2013 on-orbit support and sustainment of DSP sensors and satellites.

Work will be performed in Redondo Beach, CA until Sept 30/13 (FA8810-09-C-0001, PO 0067).

Sept 23/11: FY 2012. Northrup Grumman Space and Mission Systems in Redondo Beach, CA receives a $39.5 million cost-plus-award-fee contract modification, exercising an option for FY 2012 on-orbit support of the DSP sensors and spacecraft bus, under the defense on-orbit support and sustainment contract.

Work will be performed at Redondo Beach, CA (FA8810-09-C-0001, PO 0047)

Oct 8/09: FY 2010. Northrop Grumman Space Technology in Redondo Beach, CA received a $35.4 million contract modification for on-orbit sustainment of the DSP spacecraft, primary infrared sensor and mission analysis (FA8810-09-C-0001, PO 0019).

Sept 29/06: Post-production. Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp. in Redondo Beach, CA received a $41.8 million cost-plus-award fee contract modification. The Defense Support Program will extend the current spacecraft post-production support contract with Northrop Grumman Space Technology from 30 September 2006 thru 30 September 2007, due to a 1-year launch slip. This work will be complete September 2007 (F04701-96-C-0030, PO 0145)

Sept 22/06: Northrop Grumman Information Technology Inc. in Azusa, CA received a $39.2 million cost-plus-award fee contract modification which provides a one-year extension to the defense support program (DSP), sensor post production support contract (Oct. 1 2006 to Sept. 30 2007). Work will be complete September 2007 (F04701-96-C-0031, PO 0180).

Under this contract, Northrop Grumman will provide storage and storage support of the DSP satellites in accordance with satellite environmental requirements, annual testing of stored satellites, trend analysis, integration returns (repair and return failed/ obsolete components), safety analysis, load analysis, maintenance of all launch site safety requirements, multiple readiness reviews and rehearsals, multiple integrated systems test, test and prepare satellites for launch site, launch vehicle integration, sustaining engineering of the on-orbit satellites (multiple block build), early on orbit testing support for newly launched satellites, anomaly resolution and flight operations support for DSP constellation. They will also be tasked with operational performance analysis for performance assessment and mission performance improvement, including recommendation for retrofitting satellites in storage.

Additional Readings

• US Air Force – Defense Support Program Satellites

• Northrop Grumman – Defense Support Program

• GlobalSecurity.org – Defense Support Program

• Missile Threat – Defense Support Program (DSP)

• Federation of American Scientists – Defense Support Program

• Aerospace Power Journal (Fall 2000) – America’s Space Sentinels: DSP Satellites and National Security – book review. An informative review.