Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS)

Abstract

Space Tracking and Surveillance System Demonstration Satellites (STSS-D) The STSS-D satellites provide two on-orbit satellite assets with visible and infrared sensors in low earth orbit for testing with other Ballistic Missile Defense Systems (BMDS) elements. These two satellites provide valuable risk reduction for acquisition, tracking, and discrimination functionality to include stereo data fusion, cueing radars over the horizon and over-the-horizon fire control. The program is demonstrating the functions and interfaces required for space data delivery to the BMDS, validating the data quality necessary for interceptors to launch and/or engage on STSS-D sensor data. The two Demonstration Satellites are operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from the ground station processing center at the Missile Defense Space Development Center (MDSDC) with a government and contractor team. On-orbit, STSS-D satellites continue data collection and analyses in FY 2012 and beyond striving to view all available Targets of Opportunity (TOOs) to include participation with other BMDS target and flight tests that provide demonstration of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Space Layer capabilities and allow collection of future system risk reduction information. The satellites are demonstrating key functions of missile tracking with space sensors in support of future Missile Defense Agency (MDA) space-layer capabilities risk reduction. On-orbit sensor operations are collecting invaluable background, scene and target signatures to support future MDA space-layer and other weapon sensor development trade studies. STSS-D activities support future MDA space-layer capabilities development by integration of space-based missile tracking (midcourse phases); sensor and weapons cueing (such as Aegis and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)) via Command and Control, Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC); features and discrimination; and hit/impact point assessments into C2BMC. STSS-D risk reduction for future MDA space-layer options will enable early capability assessment of the Warfighter`s need for a highly available early missile tracking capability from space providing an operationally suitable means of global persistent surveillance and engagement. Capabilities being assessed for future MDA space-layer capabilities include detecting and acquiring ballistic missiles; tracking ballistic missiles and their deployed objects; emerging threat detection and tracking; performing autonomous acquisition-to-track handover within a satellite; performing tracking handover to a satellite from a ground cue; performing uplink and downlink of mission, health, and status data both directly and via crosslink between two satellites; reporting ballistic missile and intercept event to close the fire-control loop; filtering reports to C2BMC; providing near real-time object data to external users; and providing a System Performance Evaluation Tool model. As such, the demonstration of these activities will support future MDA space-layer capability development and will enable meeting a Warfighter`s requirements to include tracking missile threats and objects of interest; provide post-launch sensor cueing; integrate, fuse and correlate sensor data; engage/re-engage ballistic missile threats; and provide system modeling tools. MDA Element testing is based on an integrated, comprehensive, and phased test program. Element systems, subsystems, and components are tested early in development and are necessary prior to conducting BMDS level testing. The STSS-D Element Level testing is funded as part of a capabilities development program and reflected in this Program Element (PE) submission. The STSS-D satellites demonstrate key functions of space sensors. The MDA will continue planning for and conducting integrated BMDS intercept tests based on track data passed from the STSS Demonstration Satellites through C2BMC to Aegis, Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD), or other interceptors. The Advanced Space Operations Development includes activities to reduce risk for future space integration and exploitation demonstrating expected architectures, capabilities, Concept of Operations, timelines, etc. Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE) Funding for On-Orbit Operations and cooperative tests are planned to continue pending a positive assessment of the NFIRE satellite`s health and utility. Participation is planned for tests in the Integrated Master Test Plan to include Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) intercept using Space Tracking and Surveillance System Demonstration Satellites (STSS-D) as a remote sensor. The NFIRE satellite is operated from the Missile Defense Space Development Center (MDSDC) and continues to collect environmental background characterization (regional/seasonal atmospheric radiance variability, day-night, land-sea clutter, clouds, auroral measurements, etc) for future Missile Defense Agency (MDA) space-layer sensors and SM-3 IIB seeker development programs, hyper-temporal short wave infrared data to support research and development of early launch detection and tracking capabilities, and earth limb radiance measurements to support improvement of environmental models. The NFIRE satellite also carries a Laser Communication Terminal to conduct communication experiments with the German Terra SAR-X satellite. These communications experiments test low earth orbit satellite-to-ground and satellite-to-satellite laser communications capabilities for potential incorporation into the Ballistic Missile Defense Systems (BMDS). The laser communication experiments will be conducted on a non-interference basis with other MDA missions. MDA will continue to assess the health/utility of the NFIRE satellite on an annual basis to determine whether to continue NFIRE operations and testing. Lessons learned and data gathered from the STSS-D program and the NFIRE program will continue to provide valuable information for future MDA space-layer modeling and simulation activities in assessing the capability of a low earth orbit constellation to complement sensor coverage and missile detection and tracking capabilities provided by Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) sensors.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2014
• Source ID: MD12_0603893C_4_0400_PB_2014

Tags

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering.
• Missile Defense Systems.
• Sensor Fusion and Tracking Systems.

Technology Areas

• Directed Energy
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Space
• Space - Satellites
• Space - Space Objects