Strategic Defense Initiative Program: Status of Space Surveillance and Tracking System
Abstract
As currently envisioned, the SDI's layered defense against ballistic missiles will require a space-based sensor system to find nuclear warheads in the post-boost and midcourse phases. The proposed SSTS would acquire and track post-boost vehicles and nuclear warheads and discriminate warheads from a significantly larger quantity of decoys and debris. SSTS has four major functions during the post-boost and midcourse phases: to (1) acquire and track threat objects, (2) discriminate warheads from decoys and debris, (3) provide target location information to other systems, and (4) assist in damage assessment of targets. The SSTS would also serve a surveillance role for the U.S. "space defense" mission. Under this mission, the SSTS would provide surveillance support to U.S. antisatellite weapons, warn of attacks on U.S. satellites, and monitor and catalog all objects in orbit around the earth. To assess the feasibility of achieving this space-based surveillance cap ability, SDIO budgeted $102.4 million for fiscal years 1985 through 1987 for the SSTS program, which is managed by the Air Force's Space Division. The requested budget for fiscal year 1988 is $170.8 million and for fiscal year 1989, $210.8 million. SSTS's success also depends on several technology base programs that are separately funded and support several other sensor programs in addition to the SSTS. The fiscal years 1988 and 1989 budget requests for these technology programs are $295.5 miilion and $326.8 million, respectively.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA344556
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office