Japan tests space-based system to track hypersonic missiles: Reports

Japanese engineers, led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for JAXA, have developed the HTV-X, a next-generation cargo spacecraft that recently completed its first mission delivering supplies to the International Space Station (ISS). Unlike previous Japanese cargo ships that burn up after their missions, HTV-X will remain in orbit for up to 18 months to serve as a "flying laboratory" for testing new space technologies. Notably, Japan’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) has equipped HTV-X with infrared sensors designed to detect the heat signatures of hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs), which are advanced missiles capable of traveling faster than Mach 5 and maneuvering mid-flight, making them difficult to track with conventional radar. Following its ISS mission, Japan plans to conduct a test by launching a projectile simulating a hypersonic missile’s flight and heat profile near Japanese airspace. The HTV-X’s infrared sensors will attempt to detect and track this test missile from orbit, aiming to validate the feasibility