It is the dawn of a new age in satellite technology that has seen the military tap into the vast capabilities that come with it to revolutionalise modern warfare as we know it. A group of satellites, each no larger than a dorm-room sized commercial refrigerator, entreats literally cutting-edge technology that can see through hills. A useful trait implored by the military to paint an unobstructed view of the battlefield.
Kestrel Eye, the first of these one of a kind satellites, makes its entrance on to the scene upon the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. In the spirit of killing two birds with a single stone, the space craft will also be on a mission to deliver a fresh batch of NASA supplies to the International Space Station.
This is only the beginning as the US military is looking to lay out the satellite project within the low-Earth orbit should the first trial pass the test. These satellites might be small but make no mistake about it, they are more than capable of getting the job done.
As a testament to their prowess, numerous companies have turned to such satellites for a host of private and government purposes ranging from commercial imaging and scientific missions to broad band internet access.
SpaceX located in Hawthorne, OneWeb and Boeing Co. are just a few of the many institutions who are looking to roll out broadband internet access based upon the anchor of a small-satellites network. On the imaging front, San-Francisco’s Planet is utilizing a similar set up to record images of the globe in its entirety. The military is now also looking to join in on the action.
The Kestrel Eye’s design is based upon a small falcon with an uncanny ability to pick out a needle in a haystack quite literally. The bird is gifted with exceptional eyesight that is second to none hence why the program was fitting named after this creature.
Troops on the ground will connect to Kestrel eye via a laptop with a portable antenna to get a general layout of the surrounding area. This will enable them to alleviate any surprises in case enemy personnel and artillery are closing in from a previously unoccupied location. Moreover, troops can also tweak their strategies accordingly so as to deal with ever-changing battle scenarios as and when they do so. Everything is done in real time.
Kestrel Eye is not flawless however as its images are a little low on quality compared to those of the current systems in place; it cannot replicate intricate features like faces or number plates as they are on the actual battlefield.
However, in the heat of war where just a single second could mean the difference between life and death, it offers an effective way to quickly provide crucial information to that low-level tactical soldier on the ground. A sentiment echoed by the officer in charge of the Kestrel Eye program at the Space and Missile Defense Command branch of the US army, Chip Hardy.
Bill Ostrove, Forecast International’s resident analyst on matters defence and aerospace, further breakdowns the importance of the program. He says that while larger military satellites are more adept at providing the area imagery, it comes at the expense of extended delays due to immense multitasking by each unit.
Drones have also been mooted as an alternative, however, Hardy believes that these devices won’t be as effective because for one they are time-consuming; and secondly, drones are too obvious and easy to detect. He further added that since it takes little time and money to build a small satellite from scratch, they can be produced in numbers when the need arises.
Craft manufacturer Adcole Maryland Aerospace, based in Maryland and Massachusetts, and was tasked with the honours of building the test satellite for Kestrel Eye. The demonstration was achieved with a little help from Army Forces Strategic command; they not only provided an authoritative overlooking eye but also tactical aid where necessary.
Smaller satellites are the popular option within the private sector, however, the same cannot be said for their infiltration within the military, which has quite frankly been snail-paced. In the long run, however, these satellites are set to work hand in hand with the larger conventional satellites in place.
Ostrove pointed out exactly how this would pan out by clarifying that the smaller satellite will be used on a few select missions as it has a shorter load time and is cost-effective as well. On the other hand, the larger variety will be explicitly for larger missions whose success hinges upon the detail and comprehensiveness in strategies.
The International space station is expecting to receive SpaceX Dragon as early as Wednesday, upon which the satellite will be set into orbit by the crew for its maiden test flight.
According to Hardy, Kestrel Eye is just getting started for the year as it will be deployed in countless Army exercises in a bid to get a true grasp of just how useful the program really is.