WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force awarded Umbra, a commercial operator of radar imaging satellites, a $1.25 million contract to demonstrate the capabilities of space-based radar sensors to track moving targets on the ground.
Under the Small Business Innovation Research Phase 2 contract, announced Aug. 22, the Air Force will work with Umbra on “space-based moving target indication.”
Based in Santa Barbara, California, Umbra operates a constellation of six high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging satellites.
The Air Force just awarded us a $1.2M grant for systematically identifying moving objects in our data and offering that as a new product. Every SAR "image" is really more like a time series video under the hood. At our resolution, you can actually see vehicles moving. pic.twitter.com/Xwt82YW3zG
— Joe Morrison (@mouthofmorrison) August 22, 2023The use of radar satellites to track moving targets was identified as a top priority for the Department of the Air Force. The U.S. military for decades has relied on radar-equipped aircraft known as JSTARS — or Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System — to discriminate targets against the ground clutter.
Air Force and Space Force leaders in 2021 revealed plans to work with the U.S. intelligence community to pursue a space-based target tracking capability to replace JSTARS. These aircraft require large crews and are vulnerable to enemy air-defense missiles when flying over combat zones.
“With the end of the JSTARS program, Umbra understands the national imperative to develop a multi-domain replacement capability with a strong space-based element,” said Jason Mallare, Umbra’s vice president of government programs and strategy.
Mallare said Umbra intends to provide “affordable spacecraft and ground infrastructure.”
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