The US Plans to Track Hypersonic Missiles With 1,200 Satellites

Up to seven layers of satellite constellations will make sure the U.S. will have the edge over adversaries.

Space Development Who?

The U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA) is seeking more than $11 billion to deploy up to 1,200 low-orbit satellites to monitor and target enemy hypersonic weapons, Bloomberg reports.

The satellites are part of a greater initiative called the "National Defense Space Architecture" that's meant to keep tabs on new types of hypersonic weaponry being developed by both Russia and China. In the Agency's words, the money will go towards delivering "unmet priorities needed to prevent adversaries from gaining military advantage over the United States."

Constellation Network

The up to 1,200 satellites will reportedly eventually form seven layers of constellations. The majority of the budget will go towards enhancing existing data-comm satellites that will form the foundation of the planned constellation network.

The budget will likely raise some eyebrows. The SDA is still a small, 27-person outfit and will need to win political support to secure future funding.

READ MORE: Pentagon’s New Space Agency Seeks $10.6 Billion Over Five Years [Bloomberg]

More on hypersonic weapons: Russian Military Actively Testing Lasers, Hypersonic Weapons