The Air Force and its industry partners have completed an integrated sensor functional test for the Commercially Hosted Infrared Payload, SAIC announced last week. This was the first ground test demonstrating the high-level functionality of the CHIRP sensor, the company said. CHIRP is a staring, wide-field-of-view, overhead infrared sensor designed to peer at the Earth from its perch onboard a satellite in geosynchronous orbit. For the test, the CHIRP Mission Analysis Center interface, located in Seal Beach, Calif., commanded the sensor as it successfully passed test images. CHIRP is the first Air Force sensor that a commercial satellite will host as a secondary payload. The satellite’s launch is slated for the second half of 2011. SAIC is part of the industry team that includes Orbital Sciences and SES World Skies. SAIC delivered the sensor to Orbital in July.
The Air Force is moving forward with a new, algorithm-driven system to help U.S. Northern Command better detect airborne threats. NORTHCOM and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, which are tasked with protecting the homeland from attack, depend on a slew of radars and other data systems to monitor U.S.…