[Satellite Today 07-14-09] Northrop Grumman was awarded the first phase of a $30 million U.S. Air Force contract to develop the S-Band Space Fence, a global space surveillance ground radar system, the company announced July 13.
    The program is part of a U.S. Department of Defense effort to track and detect resident space objects consisting of thousands of pieces of space debris as well as commercial and military satellites.
    Space Fence will replace the current VHF Air Force space surveillance system, built in 1961.