The US Space Development Agency (SDA) and California-based EpiSci company are developing a software tool to detect hypersonic missiles in low Earth orbit using satellite data, media reported.

The SDA is planning to set up a network of 100 satellites in low Earth orbit to monitor hypersonic activity and facilitate warnings, the SpaceNews news portal reported. The main challenge of the project is to develop software capable of processing the data sets collected by satellite sensors in the atmosphere and extracting the correct data.

To achieve this goal, EpiSci signed a two-year $1.6 million contract with SDA that will allow it to test its artificial intelligence-based software against data collected by low-Earth orbit sensors to identify and track hypersonic activity.

The news came as the US Department of Defense said last week that six reconnaissance satellites had been launched into orbit to track hypersonic weapons and jets.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said this month that Russia was the world leader in developing hypersonic systems. Meanwhile, US Senator Angus King said in January that the United States could have already lost the race to develop hypersonic systems.

In March 2023, Defense News quoted US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall as saying that the recent hypersonic test was not a success. However, later in December, Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Heidi Shyu said the Pentagon planned to carry out joint hypersonic missile tests with the Australian military in 2024.

(With UNI inputs)