
Lockheed Martin receives $187.5M for mesh network of 10 small satellites - Defence_Blog
https://defence-blog.com/news/lockheed-martin-receives-187-5-million-for-mesh-network-of-10-small-satellites.html
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dang
This is lifted from [https://news.lockheedmartin.com/news-
releases?item=128968](https://news.lockheedmartin.com/news-
releases?item=128968). We ban sites that do that.

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sneak
This is timely, considering that the antisatellite arms race seems to be
heating up:

[https://www.spacecom.mil/MEDIA/NEWS-
ARTICLES/Article/2285098...](https://www.spacecom.mil/MEDIA/NEWS-
ARTICLES/Article/2285098/russia-conducts-space-based-anti-satellite-weapons-
test/)

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-
satellite_weapon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-satellite_weapon)

We're insanely dependent upon satellite communications for much of the world,
and they're really fragile. Even military applications aside, it's massively
commercially useful to be able to push a button and disable a competitor's
communications (or a whole nationful of competitors).

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bob1029
I don't think it is possible to ever develop a satellite constellation that
will be able to defend against a terrestrial actor intent on disabling it. At
least not until the space-based weapon systems are superior to all ground-
based weapon systems and can comprehensively track and disable any threats
before they strike.

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modeless
It would be difficult to disable a significant fraction of the proposed 60,000
Starlink satellites.

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jjoonathan
I wonder if any of the "in-silo, ready to launch at a moment's notice"
ballistic missile platforms could be repurposed to carry a bunch of
communications satellites. In the event of a wipeout, it could be a way to
quickly get back in the game.

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dapids
Unfortunately private corporations cannot reuse ballistic missile platforms
due to a law passed long ago to stop undue competition and favoritism, the
payload has to be earmarked for government use, but if so, then yes.

I wish I could find a reference to the bill, maybe someone can chime in.

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dogma1138
Minitaur is a US space launch system that isn’t only based on ICBMs like many
others but is literally made from decommissioned Peacemaker ICBMs.

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dest
The protocol of communication used in this network is most probably highly
proprietary. Though I wonder which of the reference routing protocols they
have used as a base
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ad_hoc_routing_protoco...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ad_hoc_routing_protocols)

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kengbailey
space force

