Space Force Wide Field of View Testbed is Online

The Wide Field of View testbed satellite in integration at Millennium Space Systems in 2020. Photo: Millennium Space Systems

The U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command’s Wide Field of View (WFOV) Testbed is online and the bus checkout is complete, Millennium Space Systems announced Monday. The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory’s (NRL) Blossom Point tracking facility successfully acquired WFOV and is operating the satellite.

The NRL said WFOV will now move to operational location and conduct checkout with the dedicated WFOV antenna located in Geraldton, Australia.

The WFOV Testbed is a Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellite designed for a three to five year life, with the primary mission to explore future missile warning algorithms with data collected in space. It is part of SMC’s Space Modernization Initiative for the Air Force’s Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) mission. It will enhance capabilities to detect threats and provide mission risk reduction for the Next Generation OPIR program. 

Millennium Space Systems, a Boeing Company, designed, built and integrated the satellite, including the integration of the Space Force’s sensor built by L3Harris. United Launch Alliance launched the satellite on July 1. 

“With WFOV online, we’re going to see critical data that will inform the future Overhead Persistent Infrared architecture,” said Jason Kim, CEO of Millennium Space Systems.