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Library > Fact Sheets > Missile Defense Systems Division
MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEMS DIVISION
Posted 11/23/2010
Printable Fact Sheet
OVERVIEW
The Missile Defense Systems Division, located at Los Angeles AFB, Calif., is a hybrid program office. It is led by a senior USAF 0-6 serving in a dual-hat position as the commander and as the Space Tracking and Surveillance System Element Manager (MDA/SS). As MDSD, the unit is tasked with the organizing, training and equipping functions under Space and Missile System Center. As MDA/SS, the unit receives its acquisition execution authority from the Missile Defense Agency (MDA).
MISSION
MDSD designs, acquires, tests, fields, operates and supports experimental space systems on behalf of the Missile Defense Agency. Additionally, MDSD coordinates across selected areas of mutual interest of the MDA Director and PEO for Space.
VISION
Deliver unrivaled space-based-sensor surveillance, tracking, targeting, discrimination, engagement and assessment capabilities to the joint warfighter.
MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEMS GROUP PROGRAMS
Specific functional responsibilities:
· Missile Defense Space Experimentation Center (MDSEC)
· Missile Defense Space Experimentation Center (MDSEC) Interchange System (MIS)
· Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE)
· Space Tracking & Surveillance System (STSS) Demonstrators
· STSS Advanced Technology Risk Reduction (SATRR)
MISSILE DEFENSE SPACE EXPERIMENTATION CENTER (MDSEC)
The MDSEC is responsible for the 24/7 day-to-day operations support to NFIRE, SATRR and the STSS Demonstrators. Located within the Missile Defense Integration and Operations Center (MDIOC), Schriever AFB, Colo., their mission is to provide a centralized, collaborative environment enabling on-orbit space operations and experiments to exploit and integrate space sensor capabilities and data into the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). In addition, the MDSEC provides infrastructure to integrate and demonstrate missile defense space capabilities with other defense and national security systems. The MDSEC infrastructure provides MDA stakeholders capabilities for supporting flight tests, conducting concept development, demonstrations, experiments, and developing and evaluating algorithms within a multi-security level environment.
MISSILE DEFENSE SPACE EXPERIMENTATION CENTER (MDSEC) INTERCHANGE SYSTEM (MIS)
The MIS is an enterprise architecture which operates under the classified local area network (CLAN). It hosts a myriad of users across multiple agencies and provides capabilities which support the tasking of satellites and sensors operated from within the MDSEC. The MIS serves as a gateway for requesting and exchanging information among authorized users by offering a web-based tasking tool, interactive electronic tasking forms, electronic access to past and proposed MDSEC satellite/sensor taskings, requestor/panel web-based interactive status, and data exchange.
NEAR FIELD INFRARED EXPERIMENT (NFIRE)
NFIRE is composed of a low-Earth orbiting satellite with an onboard Track Sensor Payload and TESAT Laser Communication Terminal. It was launched April 24, 2007 from the NASA facility at Wallops Islands, Va. NFIRE's primary mission is to gather near field, high resolution phenomenology data. MDA will use this data to validate the models and simulations that are fundamental to developing the guidance and endgame homing algorithms for boost phase interceptors. A secondary objective of the experiment is to collect hyper-temporal short wave infrared and visible data for assessing early launch detection and tracking capability. NFIRE is also assessing the viability of a laser communications system.
SPACE TRACKING AND SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM (STSS) DEMONSTRATORS
The Missile Defense Agency launched the STSS Demonstrators as a space-based sensor component of the BMDS. Using sensors capable of detecting visible and infrared light, the STSS Demonstrators satellites will become part of a collection of land, sea, air, and space-based BMDS sensors.
STSS consists of two Demonstrators satellites plus a ground system and operations center located at the MDSEC at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado. The STSS Demonstrators satellites' mission is to demonstrate detection and tracking of threat objects from space, from lift-off through midcourse to reentry. Both satellites have a two-year mission life and four-year design life.
The satellites were launched in tandem configuration on a Delta II from Cape Canaveral, Fla. on Sept. 25, 2009. The two Demonstrators satellites will undergo on-orbit check out, calibration, and functional testing of advanced sensors and systems. After checkout, the system will be characterized through a series of tests with ground, airborne and short and long range ballistic missile targets. Lessons learned from the on-orbit operation of the Demonstrators satellites will provide a foundation to proceed with the fielding of an operational constellation known as the Precision Tracking Space System (PTSS) managed by MDA.
STSS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY RISK REDUCTION (SATRR)
ATRR is a pathfinder for future MDA space Missions. It is a small experimental satellite with prototype sensor technology and it was launched in May 5, 2009 from Vandenberg AFB, Calif.. It represents MDA's efforts to construct a spiral development of emerging activities to include: NFIRE, STSS Demonstrators, STSS Advanced Technology, ATRR and PTSS.
(Current as of November 2010)
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SMC Public Affairs
483 N. Aviation Blvd.
Los Angeles AFB
El Segundo, CA 90245
Phone: (310) 653-1131
Media queries should be sent to: smcpa.media@us.af.mil. Public queries or event requests should be sent to: SMCPA.OUTREACH@us.af.mil
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