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U.S. Space Force selects Texas for final DARC radar to complete deep-space surveillance network with U.K. and Australia by 2030
The U.S. Space Force selected Lake Kickapoo, Texas, as the preferred location for the third Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability site, with construction planned from 2027 and operational acceptance targeted for 2030. DARC is designed to identify, track and characterise objects at geostationary distances continuously, including at night and in poor weather, with greater sensitivity and tracking capacity than optical systems. The Texas radar will complete a trilateral network with the operating Western Australia sensor and a proposed site in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The project still requires final planning approvals and a construction contract, with civil works expected to finish in 2029 before testing.