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9 May 2011
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http://www.zmescience.com/space/missile-defense-system-launched-us-military-443434/#ixzz1Lz7uhGTP |
This Saturday the United States Military launched a new geosynchronous satellite into orbit as part of its Space-Based Infrared System project, which is intended to enhance the country’s ability to detect, track and counter enemy missiles. Part of an effort to enhance the country’s security, the satellite was launched into orbit by an unmanned Atlas 5 rocket from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, after the initial launch was delayed by a day due to unfriendly whether. The $1,3 billion satellite is the first out of the four satellites projected for the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS), a project which outperforms and intends to replace the current Defense Support Program satellites, which are still in orbit.
The satellite, dubbed GEO-1, will circle the Earth in a geosynchronous orbit at about 22,000 miles its coverage area, and provide enhanced early warning of incoming missiles though its infrared heat-sensitive technology, gather intelligence, as well as situational awareness for military personnel. Officials say it’s main feature is the fact that it can track multiple areas and potential threats at once, as opposed to the current “attention deficit” defense satellites currently in orbit.
The launch was surprised and developed by United Launch Alliance, a company who has a long run of history and contracts with the United States Military, and N.A.S.A. as well. This was the 26th launch by United Launch Alliance’s Atlas 5 rocket, providing a 100% success rate.
The SBIRS program is considered by officials as one of the nation’s highest priority space security programs as it is expected to provide global, constant infrared surveillance that will accomplish a number of national defense requirements . The system is expected to provide accurate early warning of incoming missiles to the U.S. President, Secretary of Defense and military commanders in the field. |
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9 May 2011 |
| http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp? channel=defense&id=news/awx/2011/05/07/awx_05_07_2011_p0-320100.xml&headline=Sbirs%20GEO-1%20Launches%20At%20Last |
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CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. -The first of a new generation of missile warning satellites has lifted off on it way to geosynchronous orbit. The Space-Based Infrared System (Sbirs) satellite, built by Lockheed Martin, boosted on an Atlas V 401 rocket at 2:10 p.m. EDT on May 7 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The launch is a major achievement after the Air Force and Lockheed Martin struggled with myriad management and technical problems developing Sbirs. Eventually, the spacecraft will join existing Defense Support Program (DSP) satellites already in orbit to provide early warning of boosting ballistic missiles. Along with DSP, Sbirs will be among the first sensors to cue U.S. missile defenses in the event of a hostile launch. Sbirs GEO-1 is based on Lockheed Martin’s A2100 satellite bus and carries two payloads capable of collecting in the short- and mid-wave infrared (IR) bands, as well as one “wider, more open shortwave band” that can “see through to the ground,” Jeff Smith, Lockheed Martin Sbirs program manager told Aviation Week late last year. One of the payloads is a scanning IR detector. It is designed with shorter revisit times than those offered by DSP, which operates using a spinning scanner. Additionally, Sbirs GEO-1 will have a staring sensor that can focus on different geographical areas than the scanner. The Air Force currently hopes to buy six Sbirs satellites. Sbirs GEO-1 vehicle separation from the Atlas V’s Centaur upper stage took place 43 min. into the flight. At that point, the spacecraft was at 100 nm altitude heading for an apogee altitude of 19,323 nm. A series of six liquid apogee engine burns are planned over nine days to reach a geosynchronous orbit slot 22,000 mi. over the Earth for initial checkout and operations, says Lt. Col. Ryan Umstattd, an Air Force Sbirs official. At this point, the satellite will deploy its light shade (designed to protect the sensor payload), antennas and payload doors, he says. Thirty-five days after launch, officials expect to turn the IR payloads on and begin transmitting raw data from the satellite. Full integrated tactical warning and attack assessment certification, allowing the satellite to officially tip missile defenses in the event of a threat, is expected within 18 months of launch. Sbirs GEO-2 is likely to boost about one year after GEO-1. Already, two staring sensors in highly elliptical orbit — HEOs 1 and 2 — are providing infrared coverage of the extreme north regions. |
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9 May 2011
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| http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/05/09/military-launches-new-missile-warning-space/ |
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A new U.S. military satellite launched into orbit Saturday (May 7) on a mission to enhance the country's missile defense and detection capabilities. The satellite blasted off atop an unmanned Atlas 5 rocket from a seaside pad here at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 2:10 p.m. EDT (1810 GMT). The mission had been delayed one day due to bad weather. The Atlas 5 rocket carried the first satellite in the U.S. military's planned four-satellite Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS). The satellites, the first of which is called GEO-1, will replace the military's Defense Support Program satellites that are currently in orbit. "Today, we launched the next generation missile warning capability," Air Force Space Command commander Gen. William Shelton said in a statement. "It's taken a lot of hard work by the government-industry team and we couldn't be more proud. We look forward to this satellite providing superb capabilities for many years to come." [Video: U.S. Defense Satellites Watch Entire World] The rocket launch provider United Launch Alliance (ULA) oversaw Saturday's successful liftoff. The GEO-1 satellite rode atop an Atlas 5 configuration that did not use solid rocket boosters. U.S. military's latest space sentinel The $1.3 billion GEO-1 satellite is expected to provide the military with advanced warning of potential incoming threats while they are on the battlefield. It will circle the Earth in a geosynchronous orbit about 22,000 miles (35,406 kilometers) above its coverage area. "It's a great day for United Launch Alliance, we have been entrusted to launch the most important missions for this country - be it for NASA, the military or for the private sector," said ULA spokesman Chris Chavez. "This is our 50th launch overall, our 26th using the Atlas 5 launch vehicle and our fifth launch this year already." This new satellite will give better early warning of incoming missiles. GEO-1 will also provide related information such as intelligence-gathering, missile defense and situational awareness for military personnel. "SBIRS GEO-1 represents the dawn of a new era in overhead persistent infrared surveillance that will greatly improve our national security for years to come," said Brig. Gen. (select) Roger W. Teague, the U.S. Air Force's Infrared Space Systems Directorate director, in a statement. The satellite can track multiple areas and potential threats at once as opposed to the system currently in orbit. The satellite utilizes heat-sensitive technology to perform its mission and has an expected design life of about 12 years. "This launch represents the culmination of hard work and dedication from an elite team of individuals," said Michael Friedman a spokesman for Lockheed-Martin, which built the satellite. "Together we've built and launched a spacecraft that will protect citizens for years to come a spacecraft the U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin SBIRS team knows the nation will be very proud of." Space surveillance for missile defense The SBIRS program is viewed as one of the nation's highest priority space security programs as it is expected to provide global, constant infrared surveillance that will accomplish a number of national defense requirements, program officials said. The system is expected to provide accurate early warning of incoming missiles to the U.S. President, Secretary of Defense and military commanders in the field. [Most Destructive Space Weapons Concepts] GEO-1 will compare the heat signature of potential targets (in this case the heat from a missile's exhaust) against the ambient background temperature and relay its observations to its control team. The launch had been originally schedule to take place on Friday, but intermittent rain and cumulous clouds thwarted the attempt. Weather was not a concern at the time of launch with completely clear skies in the Cape Canaveral area. "The Atlas 5 has a 100 percent success rate, we
simply cannot ask more from this launch vehicle,” said U.S. Air Force
spokeswoman Glorimar Rodriguez. “This mission was number 26 for the Atlas 5
rocket; again and again the launch vehicle performs flawlessly." |
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