WFOV-T

WFOV-T [Boeing]

The WFOV-T (Wide-field of View Testbed) is an experimental early warning satellite sponsored by the Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) and managed by NASA's Ames Research Center.

The mission is to evaluate a new Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) 6-degree staring sensor. Originally this was to be a hosted payload on a commercial geostationary comsat, but was redesigned as a free-flyer.

The mid-sized geosynchronous spacecraft based on Millennium’s Aquila-M8 platform series will host an Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) 6-degree staring sensor called Wide-Area Six-Degree Payload (WASP) being developed by L3 Harris under a separate contract. This demonstration will provide critical risk reduction for Air Force Space Command’s next generation missile warning system.

During development it was planned that the spacecraft would include the AMSAT P4B (Phase 4B) hosted amateur payload consisting of a Software Defined Radio designed and built by Rincon Research Corporation using support equipment and antennas designed by Virginia Tech and other volunteers to this effort. For several reasons, this was cancelled.

The satellite will be launched together with a propulsive ESPA hosting more smaller payloads in 2022 on the USSF-12 (formerly known as AFSPC-12) mission.