The U.S. Area Pressure is popping to some unlikely sources of inspiration for naming its spacecraft and house weaponry.
On the third Annual Spacepower Convention, held in Orlando, Florida from Dec. 10 to Dec. 12, Chief of Area Operations Gen. Probability Saltzman informed attendees that Area Pressure is adopting new naming schemes for every of its totally different mission areas that can “cement the identities of house weapon techniques” very like the names of iconic plane, such because the A-10 Thunderbolt II or F-22 Raptor, have accomplished for the U.S. Air Pressure.
Seven totally different naming classes had been chosen, one for every of Area Pressure’s mission areas:
After saying the brand new naming scheme, Saltzman defined two particular names that had been chosen for particular spacecraft. The primary, a communications satellite tv for pc in geostationary orbit beforehand referred to as the Extremely-Excessive Frequency Observe-On system, will now be referred to as as Ursa Main.
“The Large Dipper — as you all know, a part of the Ursa Main constellation — famously factors to Polaris, our north star, at all times linking us to our most vital missions,” Saltzman stated.
One other spacecraft operated by Area Pressure’s 1st Area Operations Squadron (1 SOPS) used to trace satellites in excessive orbits will now be taking a reputation from Norse mythology: Bifrost.
“Bifrost is a bridge between Earth and the realm of the gods,” Saltzman defined, “simply because the Bifrost system in low Earth orbit bridges the divide between the Earth and the upper geostationary orbit of the opposite 1 SOPS techniques.”
Saltzman pressured that the brand new naming scheme will assist the most recent department of the U.S. navy set up its personal id. “These symbols conjure the character of the techniques, the significance of their mission, and the id of the Guardians who make use of them,” Saltzman stated. The brand new names will function “a technique to personal the id of our house techniques as they enter the joint struggle,” he added.
In contrast to the U.S. Air Pressure’s iconic plane or the U.S. Military’s floor automobiles akin to tanks, the general public hardly ever will get a glimpse at Area Pressure’s belongings in orbit. That is partly by design; a lot of Area Pressure’s spacecraft are extremely categorized, which might make it tough for the service to speak its missions and capabilities each to the general public and all through the U.S. armed companies.
