Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS)

Abstract

Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) satellites provide on-orbit assets with visible and infrared sensors in low earth orbit for testing with other BMDS elements, with a goal to demonstrate space-based capabilities including persistent tracking and integrated BMDS discrimination improvements. 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. 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 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. The Missile Defense Space Center (MDSC) provides capabilities and infrastructure to support the BMDS as the single location for MDA elements to conduct space operations. It provides a multi-level security environment for sensor data management and integration across space and terrestrial sensor data activities. MDSC experiments leverage DoD (Defense Support Program, Space Based Infrared System) and national security space capabilities. MDSC activities support analysis, demonstration and integration of space sensor capabilities into developmental and operational MDA elements. MDSC enables the development of advanced technology and algorithms including fusion of multiple sensor types (radar, overhead persistent infrared, electro-optical and other emerging sensor technologies). It also supports mission integration of space-based missile tracking, sensor and weapons cueing via Command and Control, Battle Management and Communications, features and discrimination, kill and impact point assessments into the BMDS and other non-MDA mission areas, including Space Situational Awareness, technical intelligence, and battle space characterization. This effort is a continuation of work previously performed in program element 0603895C that supported the STSS program. The Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE) satellite operated from the MDSC and was capable of collecting environmental background characterization (regional/seasonal atmospheric radiance variability, day-night, land-sea clutter, clouds, auroral measurements, etc.) for future 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 carried a Laser Communication Terminal to conduct communication experiments with the German Terra SAR-X satellite. Communications experiments tested low earth orbit satellite-to-ground and satellite-to-satellite laser communications capabilities for potential incorporation into the BMDS. The NFIRE program executed an option for satellite End-of-Life in FY 2015 and initiated safe satellite de-orbit. The NFIRE satellite orbit was successfully lowered below human space flight region and deactivated on 5 August 2015. NFIRE reentered the atmosphere on 4 November 2015 over the Atlantic Ocean as officially reported by the Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC), Joint Functional Component Command for Space (JFCC SPACE), United States Strategic Command. 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, 2017
• Source ID: MD12_0603893C_4_0400_PB_2017

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