Northrop Grumman eyes synthetic aperture ladar for space situational awareness
LINTHICUM HEIGHTS, Md., 7 Dec. 2006. Electro-optics engineers at Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems in Linthicum Heights, Md., are investigating the use of laser detection and ranging (ladar) technology to capture 3-D images in space.
Northrop Grumman won a $12.8 million U.S. Air Force contract Dec. 5 for the Long View Program, which will apply inverse synthetic aperture ladar imaging techniques for space-based imaging.
The contract comes from the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. The contract number is FA8650-07-C-7701.
Air Force researchers are looking to Northrop Grumman to develop synthetic aperture ladar imaging technology to classify and take high-resolution images of space objects in high-Earth orbit and geosynchronous Earth orbit.
One of the goals of the Long View Program is enhance space situational awareness by a substantial margin, Air Force officials say.
Northrop Grumman is to finish work on this contract by September 2008.