REDONDO BEACH, Calif., Sept. 20 (UPI) -- A demonstration U.S. missile defense satellite in orbit autonomously transferred target track data from its acquisition sensor to its tracking sensor.
Northrop Grumman and Raytheon, which built the Space Tracking and Surveillance System satellite for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, said the successful transfer was the first time the capability had been executed in space as part of the STSS program.
"This is a major success for the STSS program," Gabe Watson, vice president of missile defense and missile warning programs for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector said. "We proved that the STSS satellites can autonomously transition from target acquisition and track mode using the acquisition sensor to target precision track mode using the multiple band track sensor,
"All of these operations occurred as intended, with no operator intervention. This is the same type and sequence of functions that will be performed on-board during subsequent MDA missile tests."
The data hand-off occurred when the MDA satellite acquired a ground laser operated and pointed by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory from the Starfire Optical Range at Kirtland Air Force Base near Albuquerque.
Once the acquisition sensor acquired the ground laser, it formed a confirmed track, which was passed to the track sensor. The track sensor slewed and pointed to the coordinates reported by the acquisition sensor, detected the ground laser and formed an on-board track of the ground laser.
Data were transmitted to the STSS ground systems located at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.
