Fergie's Tech Blog

Defense Tech: Satellite Antenna Can Detect Nuclear Tests

Via UPI.

Northrop Grumman has delivered antenna assemblies for U.S. military Global Positioning System satellites to detect nuclear explosions.

Astro Aerospace in California has now delivered all 18 V-Sensors plus six test units to Los Alamos National Laboratory for use in the Global Positioning Satellite 2F program.

The antenna will be integrated into the satellites by Boeing, the prime contractor for the 2F program.

Northrop called the V-Sensor a "pop-up" antenna that is about the size of a pack of cigarettes at launch, but extends to seven feet in length in space and can pick up the telltale electromagnetic pulse produced by a nuclear blast.

posted by Fergie @ 11/07/2006 09:56:00 AM