Defense Speak Interpreted: Is DARPA Still Around After CHIPS?
Beyond the Board: Orbital High Ground—Why Space Superiority Is Slipping Away
The Government Circuit: Trump’s Trade War Disrupts the Electronics Ecosystem
Northrop Grumman SBIRS GEO-6 Payload Launched in Support of Missile Warning Satellite Mission
August 8, 2022 | Northrop GrummanEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Northrop Grumman Corporation has played a vital role in the successful deployment of the missile warning satellite for the U.S. Space Force’s sixth and final mission in the Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (SBIRS GEO)-6 program series.
Working in partnership with prime contractor Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman designed and built the mission payload, which is equipped with powerful scanning and staring infrared surveillance sensors that launched today aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V. SBIRS GEO-6 joins the U.S. Space Force’s constellation of satellites in support of the missile warning, missile defense, battlespace awareness and technical intelligence areas.
In addition to the mission payload, Northrop Grumman provided propulsion, key composite structures and other critical components on the Atlas V launch vehicle. Two Northrop Grumman 63-inch diameter Graphite Epoxy Motors (GEM 63) solid rocket boosters provided additional thrust at launch to enhance the lift capability of the Atlas V launch vehicle and support the rocket’s ability to place payloads in desired orbits.
“Northrop Grumman’s payloads and components provide the military with critical missile warning capabilities for our warfighters and allies,” said Aaron Dann, vice president, Strategic Force Programs, Northrop Grumman. “The launch of SBIRS GEO-6 marks the end of a proud legacy on this program, one that involved Northrop Grumman from the very first mission in 2011, and demonstrates our continued leadership in support of missile tracking and defense architecture.”
Northrop Grumman’s proven experience in missile detection, identification, tracking and communication systems positions the company as a key provider of future early-warning missile systems that offer expanded capabilities, including the Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar program, in support of the United States and allied nations. Visit the Northrop Grumman website to read more about Northrop Grumman’s missile defense capabilities.
Northrop Grumman is a technology company, focused on global security and human discovery. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with capabilities they need to connect, advance and protect the U.S. and its allies. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our 90,000 employees define possible every day.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Beyond the Board: Orbital High Ground—Why Space Superiority Is Slipping Away
06/17/2025 | Jesse Vaughan -- Column: Beyond the Board“The next war might be won—or lost—22,000 miles above Earth.” That’s not science fiction. It’s the stark reality defense planners are beginning to confront as space transitions from a support domain to a full-spectrum warfighting environment. For decades, the United States held an uncontested advantage in space, relying on exquisite, few, and highly capable systems to enable precision warfare, real-time intelligence, and global communications. Today, that edge is under siege.
L3Harris Providing Additional VAMPIRE Counter-UAS Systems to Department of Defense
06/12/2025 | L3Harris TechnologiesL3Harris Technologies has received a new contract through the U.S. Department of Defense for additional VAMPIRE systems, which neutralize unmanned aerial threats.
BAE Systems Unveils Comprehensive Line of M-Code GPS Receivers at Joint Navigation Conference
06/04/2025 | PRNewswireBAE Systems unveiled a diverse line of M-Code Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver solutions at the Joint Navigation Conference in Cincinnati this week, rounding out an extensive line of products that ensure U.S. warfighters have the most dependable GPS systems available across sea, land, and air.
Another Lockheed Martin-Built GPS III Satellite Lifts Off into Orbit
06/02/2025 | Lockheed MartinThe eighth GPS III space vehicle—designed and built by Lockheed Martin—successfully launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. It achieved signal acquisition shortly thereafter.
U.S. Holiday: Memorial Day
05/26/2025 | I-Connect007Memorial Day is a U.S. federal holiday dedicated to remembering and grieving for military personnel who died serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Held on the last Monday of May, it also marks the unofficial start of summer.