Tags: Air Force, Space Debris, Space Fence, Raytheon, NASA, Lockheed Martin
Publication: CNN.com
Publication Date: 10/25/2012

Artist’s impression of trackable space debris in orbit. Image credit: ESA

With a budget of approximately $3.5 billion, the U.S. Air Force is planning on improving their Space Fence program started in the early 1960’s. The program is responsible for monitoring all man-made debris orbiting earth.

The Air Force keeps track of almost 20,000 fragments of rockets, satellites and other machines that travel around the Earth at high speeds. These pieces can be as large as a bus or as small as a softball, and they present real danger to every operating spacecraft.

The program allows the Air Force to alert satellite operators and NASA if there’s a possibility that any of this debris could collide with one of their properties. Not only would a collision cause a serious loss for the owner but also it would generate even more debris to keep track of.

For the Space Fence’s update, defense contractors Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are competing for the contract. The Air Force is planning on starting construction of two radar systems next year to integrate to the current hardware in 2017.

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