Video Transcript
Aerospace and defense technology company Northrop Grumman announced it was using virtual reality (VR) goggles and motion capture suits to accelerate the development of next-generation missile-warning satellites.
The company used virtual reality goggles and motion capture suits in a digital technology called the Highly Immersive Virtual Environment, or HIVE. During a HIVE demonstration, engineers simulated the assembly and integration of components in Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar satellites. The engineers confirmed the design and will use digital technology further to develop the two next-gen polar satellites.
A release from Northrop Grumman said HIVE lets its engineers create service satellites in VR before hardware is procured or manufactured. According to the company, the digital technology’s capabilities would decrease risks and costs in the early development phases. Northrop Grumman previously announced that it used HIVE to develop the B-21 bomber and used assessments from the virtual reality technology to modify the next-gen aircraft.
The U.S. Space Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $2.37 billion contract for the first phase of the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar program in 2020. Nearly a year later, Northrop Grumman partnered with Ball Aerospace to design and develop two next-gen polar satellite infrared payloads for the Space Force program.
The next-gen polar satellites are designed to defend the northern hemisphere from ballistic and hypersonic missiles by providing timely and precise sensor coverage. The available mission data allows decision-makers to recognize threats and reduce vulnerabilities to counter-space and cyberattacks.
