Naomi Cooper
Northrop Grumman is cleared to start producing the U.S. Space Force’s next-generation early warning missile system following the completion of the program’s preliminary design review.
The phase validated the technical approach for integrating the Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar payloads into Northrop’s Eagle-3 spacecraft, the company said Wednesday, the company said Wednesday.
NGP includes sensor payloads for detecting infrared heat signatures of incoming ballistic and hypersonic missiles and a high-bandwidth communication system for transmitting mission data to ground-based assets.
The infrared sensors are being built by Northrop in partnership with Ball Aerospace at the former’s site in Azusa, California.
In 2020, Northrop secured a $2.37 billion contract from the Space Force to manufacture the first two polar-orbiting space vehicles under the NGP program.
