Now Reading: Northrop Grumman sets a milestone in GPS-free hypersonic navigation
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Northrop Grumman sets a milestone in GPS-free hypersonic navigation
The U.S. defense industry has reached a new technological milestone in the development of hypersonic systems. Northrop Grumman confirmed that its innovative Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) has successfully completed flight tests aboard Stratolaunch's Talon-A glide vehicle. These tests, conducted in December and March, mark the first time such technology has been validated in a hypersonic environment, capable of speeds in excess of Mach 5.
"It met all of our objectives, and the fact that it survived this first test flight is an incredibly positive achievement for the maturation of this technology."said Jonathan Green, Northrop Grumman's chief technology officer for emerging capabilities development.
A critical capability in the face of GPS jamming threats
Northrop Grumman's Advanced Hypersonic Technology IMU is designed to enable high-speed systems to navigate accurately without the need for a GPS signal. This capability is crucial in environments where weather conditions, challenging terrain or enemy electronic interference can hinder or distort positioning signals.
Thanks to advanced sensors, the IMU analyzes the vehicle's movement through its environment, accurately calculating the trajectory followed and determining the route needed to maintain its course. Josei Chang, senior director of advanced technologies at Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, noted that during flight tests the system performed flawlessly, providing accurate navigation data.
A compact and robust design to withstand Mach 5 flights
Although Northrop Grumman had already developed inertial navigation technologies for spacecraft, this new version of the IMU is much smaller and more rugged, designed specifically to survive the demands of flight at hypersonic speeds.
"What we've done is taken our space-based inertial navigation expertise and adapted it for use on high-speed aerial platforms."Green explained.
The recent Talon-A tests represent a key step in the transition of the IMU from the research and development phase to its future integration into operating systems.
New tests planned and strategic collaboration with Stratolaunch
Northrop Grumman plans to conduct further testing of the IMU aboard a sounding rocket this quarter, and is also considering conducting another experiment later this year at Holloman Air Force Base, Utah, where the system's performance under high-gravitational-force environments will be evaluated.
The collaboration with Stratolaunch has been instrumental in accelerating this progress. "This partnership has been absolutely critical. It underscores the importance of having the resources and opportunities to test these technologies in real-world environments."Green noted.
Although not officially confirmed, Northrop Grumman is closely following the Talon-A test schedule and does not rule out the IMU being part of upcoming missions scheduled for this spring or summer.
With these innovations, Northrop Grumman positions itself at the forefront of hypersonic technology, in a context where the United States is intensifying its efforts to master next-generation defense and navigation capabilities, key in highly complex strategic scenarios.
