The U.S. Air Force's upcoming fifth and sixth satellites in its missile warning constellation will have a new satellite bus, Lockheed Martin's A2100.

The follow-on system has been discussed as an opportunity to exploit commercial space industry advances and design a lower cost system, possibly with a larger number of satellites that could more easily replaced if attacked.

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Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIA’s National Defense...