NRL Scans Space with Satellite Tracking System

Employing a transportable satellite-tracking antenna system acquired from Space Systems Command's System Delta 81, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has significantly increased the capabilities of its Blossom Point Tracking Facility (Welcome, Md.).

The antenna system (see image above) enhances the facility's capabilities for tracking, telemetry, and command operations for emerging space technologies. The system supports both naval and joint-forces missions, with the Blossom Point Tracking Facility functioning as the corporate laboratory for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

The transportable system adds multiband communications testing, interoperability assessments, and advanced space experimentation to the facility’s long-supported satellite command and control, communications experimentation, and orbital research. The system’s potential is being analyzed for its benefits to future experiments and its ability to increase the effectiveness of current-day missions.

Transferring the system to the Blossom Point Tracking Facility strengthens joint forces testing and training as well as improves collaboration across the naval and space communities. Its part of overall efforts to improve testing and training environments for the Space Force.