Ground has been broken for the Space Fence radar system. The ceremony on Kwajalein Atoll marks the beginning of construction of Space Fence, which will replace the Air Force Space Surveillance System for tracking orbital objects.
A Lockheed Martin-led team won a $915 million contract last June, and the total value of the eight-year contract is valued at more than $1.8 billion.
"The number of small satellites and satellite operators around the world is skyrocketing, rapidly crowding an environment already congested by the more than 17,000 pieces of space debris that we are able to track today," said Steve Bruce, vice president for advanced Systems at Lockheed Martin's Mission Systems and Training division. "By comparison, when it comes online in 2018, Space Fence will enable the Air Force to locate and track hundreds of thousands of objects orbiting Earth with more precision than ever before to help reduce the potential for collisions with our critical space-based infrastructure."
Low Earth orbit is the region of space within 2,000 kilometers of the Earth's surface. It is the most concentrated area for orbital debris.
Photo Credit: Air Force
