Space Force Completes Critical Design Review of Polar Missile Warning Spacecraft

The Space Systems Command has completed the critical design review of the Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar Space Vehicle, testing whether its design could deliver the northern hemisphere’s strategic missile warning requirements and counter evolving threats.

The spacecraft is a resilient space-based global missile warning system that will replace the Space Based Infrared Systems Highly Elliptical Orbit hosted program, the U.S. Space Force said.

Lt. Col. Nicholas Laliberte, materiel leader for the NGP program, said that completing the CDR increases his team’s confidence that NGP will meet the unique needs of the Space Force.

Capt. Christian Chavez, the program’s space vehicle and resiliency lead, said that the NGP system allows the United States to have a reliable deterrence system without exceeding the budget. 

The service branch has been working on the OPIR constellation for the past several months. In March, the SSC tapped BAE Systems to provide command and control capabilities for the next-generation OPIR.