Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS)
Abstract
Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) Satellites The goal for STSS satellites is to demonstrate spacebased capabilities including persistent tracking and integrated Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) discrimination improvements for Homeland Defense. The STSS satellites provide two on-orbit assets with visible and infrared sensors in low earth orbit for testing with other BMDS elements. These two satellites provide valuable risk reduction for threat object 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 sensor data. The two satellites are operated from the ground station processing center at the Missile Defense Space Center (MDSC) by a government and contractor team. The STSS satellites demonstrate MDA space-layer capabilities and reduce risk for future systems by viewing high-value Targets of Opportunity and participating in BMDS flight tests in FY 2015 and beyond. The on-orbit sensors collect invaluable background, scene and target signatures to support future MDA space-layer and other weapon sensor development trade studies. STSS activities provide information for integration of space-based missile tracking (midcourse phase); remote sensor and weapons cueing via the Command and Control, Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC); features and discrimination; and hit/impact point assessments. STSS enables early capability assessment to address the Warfighter's need for highly available early missile tracking 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; 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; and providing near real-time object data to external users. Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE) The NFIRE satellite is operated from the Missile Defense Space Center (MDSC) and is capable of collecting 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, 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. 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 NFIRE program has an option to execute satellite End-of-Life plans by the end of FY 2015 and initiate safe satellite de-orbit. Lessons learned and data gathered from the STSS demonstration satellites program and the NFIRE program 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 sensors.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2016
- Source ID
- MD12_0603893C_4_0400_PB_2016
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- Root: Space Tracking and Surveillance System
- Child Accomplishment: Demonstration Satellites
- Child Accomplishment: BMDS Level Testing
- Child Accomplishment: Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE)
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