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AIR FORCE Magazine / August 200426

ON the following pages appearsa variety of information andstatistical material aboutspace—particularly militaryactivity in space. This almanacwas compiled by Air ForceMagazine, with assistance andinformation from SteveGarber, NASA History Office;Phillip S. Clark, Molniya SpaceConsultancy; Joseph J.Burger, Space Analysis andResearch, Inc.; and US Strate-gic Command and Air ForceSpace Command Public Af-fairs Offices.

Figures that appear in thissection will not always agreebecause of different cutoffdates, rounding, or differentmethods of reporting. Theinformation is intended toillustrate trends in spaceactivity.

2004

SpaceAlmanac


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AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2004 27

By Tamar A. Mehuron, Associate Editor

2727AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2004 27


Introduction

What’s Up ThereAs of May 31, 2004

Country/Organization

CIS (Russia/former USSR)USEuropean Space AgencyPeople’s Republic of ChinaJapanIndiaIntl. Telecom Sat. Org.GlobalstarFranceOrbcommEuropean Telecom Sat. Org.GermanyUnited KingdomCanadaItalyLuxembourgAustraliaSea LaunchBrazilSwedenIndonesiaIntl. Maritime Sat. Org.NATOSouth KoreaArab Sat. Comm. Org.ArgentinaMexicoSpainCzech RepublicIsraelNetherlandsTurkeyAsiaSat Corp.Intl. Space StationThailandDenmarkMalaysiaNorwaySaudi ArabiaChina/BrazilEgyptFrance/GermanyPhilippinesUAEAlgeriaChileEUMEGreeceNICONigeriaPakistanPortugalPRES (China/ESA)Republic of China (Taiwan)Saudi Arabia/FranceSingapore/TaiwanUS/BrazilTotal

Satellites

1,349903

3540842760523335262022211013

91

1010

9988776655554143333222221111111111111

2,884

Space Probes

3552

4070000002000000000000000000000300000000000000

000000000

103

Debris

2,6182,872

301285

51104

00

1600111302

10000000000000000000000000000000000000000

6,265

Total

4,0023,827

340325142131

6052493526232322131311111010

9988776655554443333222221111111111111

9,252


Space/Missile Badge

Astronaut Pilot* Missile Badge Missile Badge withOperations Designator

The astronaut designator indicates a USAF rated officerqualified to perform duties in space (50 miles and up)and who has completed at least one operational mission.Pilot wings are used here only to illustrate the position ofthe designator on the wings.

Space and Missile Badges

*

DefenseUS Strategic Command

Air Force Space Command

21st Space Wing

30th Space Wing

45th Space Wing

50th Space Wing

Space & Missile Systems Ctr.

IndustryBoeing Integrated Defense Systems

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co.

Northrop Grumman Space Technology

Orbital Sciences

NASAIntegrated Launch Schedule

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

NASA Human Spaceflight

Science @ NASA

Space Center Houston

OtherFlorida Today

Space.com, Inc.

Spaceweather.com

Web addresswww.stratcom.mil

www.peterson.af.mil/hqafspc

www.peterson.af.mil/21sw

www.vandenberg.af.mil

https://www.patrick.af.mil

www.schriever.af.mil

www.losangeles.af.mil

www.boeing.com/ids

www.ast.lmco.com

www.st.northropgrumman.com

www.orbital.com

www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/schedule/mixfleet.htm

www.jpl.nasa.gov

spaceflight.nasa.gov

science.nasa.gov

spacecenter.org

www.floridatoday.com/news/space/index.htm

www.space.com

www.spaceweather.com

Space on the Web(Some of the space-related sites on the World Wide Web)

Launch Site

Plesetsk

Tyuratam/Baikonur, Kazakhstan

Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla.

Kourou, French Guiana

JFK Space Center, Fla.

Kapustin Yar

Tanegashima

Xichang

Shuang Cheng-tsu/Jiuquan

Kagoshima

Wallops Flight Facility, Va.

Edwards AFB, Calif.

Sriharikota

Taiyuan

Pacific Ocean Platform

Indian Ocean Platform

Palmachim

Hammaguir, Algeria

Svobodny

Woomera, Australia

Alcantara

Barents Sea

Gando AB, Canary Islands

Kodiak, Alaska

Kwajalein, Marshall Islands

Musudan ri

Total

Owner

Russia

Russia

US

US

ESA

US

Russia

Japan

China

China

Japan

US

US

India

China

Sea Launch

US

Israel

France

Russia

Australia

Brazil

Russia

Spain

US

US

North Korea

Total Launches

1,542

1,204

626

599

170

134

101

37

36

32

31

30

20

18

18

11

9

5

4

4

4

3

1

1

1

1

1

4,643

Worldwide Orbital Launch Sites, 1957-2003


The Year in SpaceJuly 15, 2003US Broadcasting Board of Governorsclaims Cuba jammed Voice of Americasatellite TV broadcasts into Iran.Jamming was first detected July 6, andTelstar 12 service providers quicklyfound the source of the jamming to belocated near Havana. Cuba issued adenial but said it would investigate.Aug. 29USAF launches last Defense SatelliteCommunications System III spacecraftinto orbit aboard a Boeing Delta IVEvolved Expendable Launch Vehicle(EELV) from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla.Sept. 29Lockheed Martin announces NorthropGrumman has joined with it and OrbitalSciences to compete for full-scaledevelopment of NASA’s OrbitalSpaceplane. Boeing is also vying for theOSP project.Oct. 1Air Force Reserve Command activatesthe 26th Space Aggressor Squadron,Schriever AFB, Colo., the third AFRCspace squadron and first to serve in thespace control mission area. It works withthe active duty 527th SAS in Air ForceSpace Command’s Space WarfareCenter.Oct. 16China completes a manned spacemission and joins the exclusive club ofthe US and Russia when it becomes thethird country to send a person intospace. Chinese officials said China plansto conduct space walks and spacevehicle docking, establish a space lab,and begin exploring the moon withinthree years.Oct. 18USAF launches its final Titan II fromVandenberg AFB, Calif. The booster,which carried a Defense MeteorologicalSatellite Program spacecraft into orbit,was the 13th of 14 Cold War Titan IIICBMs Lockheed Martin refurbished forspace launch. The 14th is expected to gointo a museum.Nov. 4The 45th Space Wing announcestransfer of Launch Complex 47 to theFlorida Space Authority. The pad wasslated for deactivation, but a licensingagreement under the Commercial SpaceTransportation Act permitted its contin-ued operation and upkeep by FSA.Nov. 19The National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration (NOAA) declaresoperational the first fully upgraded Block5D-3 DMSP spacecraft, dubbed F16,after it undergoes a 30-day checkout,following its Oct. 18 launch (see above).NOAA is the designated operator forDMSPs, which provide data for strategic

toward automated availability of spaceinformation for air operations centersworldwide and machine-to-machine dataexchange for more cohesive planningbetween air and space commandcenters.Feb. 14A Boeing inertial upper stage launchedatop a Titan IVB from Cape Canaveralboosts DSP-22 into orbit. It is the lastlaunch in the 22-year run of the IUSprogram. The Titan IV-IUS combinationis being replaced by EELVs.March 20The 50th GPS launches into orbit aboarda Boeing Delta II rocket from CapeCanaveral. The launch of GPS IIR-11was dedicated to the late Ivan A.Getting, considered the father of GPS.March 30Boeing and Ball Aerospace announcewin of the Space Based SurveillanceSystem (SBSS) contract to develop asatellite and ground segment, providelaunch services, and initially operate thenew system. Northrop Grumman, asSBSS prime contractor, made the awardto the Boeing-Ball team.April 16USAF begins first major step towardcreation of the Space Based Radar(SBR) system by awarding conceptdevelopment contracts to LockheedMartin and Northrop Grumman. USAFexpects to make final selection in 2006.May 6USAF Maj. James P. Dutton Jr., an F/A-22 test pilot, is named as one of two newspace shuttle pilots. NASA also selectsthree other military personnel as newastronauts: Marine Maj. Randolph J.Bresnik, Lt. Cmdr. Christopher J.Cassidy, and Army Maj. Robert S.Kimbrough.May 18A space-based launch range moves astep closer to reality when USAF andLockheed Martin successfully use arange instrumentation payload carried onan unmanned aircraft to track a Delta IIrocket launched from Vandenberg.Lockheed’s Range Systems Transforma-tional Laboratory (RSTL) programtracked and recorded several minutes oftelemetry data. USAF hopes the RSTLwill prove the mobile launch rangeconcept and lead to a space-basedrange that will eliminate the need forcostly fixed range infrastructures.June 23US and European Union officialsannounce they have agreed on terms tomake the EU’s new Galileo satellitenavigation system compatible with GPS.The agreement ended a long-runningdispute. (See “Aerospace World: US, EUSet for NavSat Deal,” March, p. 15.) ■

and tactical weather prediction for USmilitary forces.Nov. 24The National Imagery and MappingAgency changes its name to the NationalGeospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).Dec. 1The 30th Space Wing, Vandenberg, and45th SW, Patrick AFB, Fla., undergorealignments to streamline launchoperations at each wing. The movesalign former acquisition detachments ateach base with some wing operationsunits to form the 30th Launch Group and45th Launch Group, respectively.Dec. 2Lockheed Martin’s final Atlas IIAS rocketcarries a classified NRO payload intoorbit from Vandenberg’s Space LaunchComplex-3 East, slated to undergorefurbishment to launch the new Atlas VEELV, beginning in fall 2005.Dec. 2NASA taps a USAF Reservist, Lt. Col.Michael E. Fossum, as a missionspecialist for space shuttle flight STS-121, slated to fly no earlier than Novem-ber 2004.Jan. 5, 2004USAF advances work toward the nextgeneration Global Positioning Satellite,called GPS III, by awarding two systemrequirement contracts, one to Boeingand one to Lockheed Martin. Space andMissile Systems Center, Los AngelesAFB, Calif., expects to select onecontractor in December 2005 for theGPS III development contract.Jan. 14President Bush unveils a new spaceexploration program with three majorgoals: first, completion of the ISS by2010; second, development and testingof the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV)by 2008, with a manned flight by 2014;third, return to the moon by 2015, ifpossible, but not later than 2020. TheCEV is expected to transport astronautsto the ISS after the space shuttle retires,but its main purpose is to carryspacefarers to other worlds.Jan. 15Schriever Air Force Base officialsdeclare GPS IIR-10, launched Dec. 21,2003, from Cape Canaveral Air ForceStation, to be fully operational. The newsatellite has an enhanced antenna panelto increase power output of the naviga-tion signal, making it less susceptible tointerference.Jan. 30USAF receives a prototype integrated airand space command and control (C2)capability developed by LockheedMartin. The prototype, delivered to theC2 Transformation Center at LangleyAFB, Va., provides a significant step


Figures may not sum due to rounding. NASA totals represent space activities only. “Other” category includes the Departments of Energy, Commerce, Agriculture, Interior, and Transportation and the National Science Foundation.

Military & Civilian Space Budgets

FY NASA DOD Other Total

1959 $1,705 $3,202 $222 $5,129 1960 2,968 3,604 276 6,849 1961 5,891 5,178 433 11,501 1962 11,318 8,175 1,253 20,746 1963 22,544 9,637 1,598 33,779 1964 30,786 9,814 1,307 41,908 1965 31,039 9,509 1,456 42,003 1966 29,735 9,916 1,256 40,907 1967 27,503 9,475 1,213 38,191 1968 24,209 10,503 952 35,664 1969 19,797 10,427 883 31,107 1970 17,382 8,223 691 26,296 1971 14,556 7,097 760 22,413 1972 13,968 6,400 607 20,974 1973 13,247 6,951 631 20,829 1974 10,645 6,814 610 18,069 1975 10,309 6,691 558 17,558 1976 10,780 6,629 563 17,972 1977 10,797 7,571 607 18,975 1978 10,568 7,987 659 19,214 1979 10,562 7,957 650 19,169 1980 10,807 8,886 534 20,226 1981 10,451 10,107 490 21,049 1982 10,897 13,166 616 24,680 1983 12,087 17,228 625 29,940 1984 12,560 18,671 723 31,954 1985 12,242 22,571 1,032 35,844 1986 12,430 24,506 827 37,763 1987 16,425 27,273 780 44,478 1988 13,387 28,438 1,192 43,016 1989 15,498 27,484 860 43,841 1990 16,689 22,741 736 40,166 1991 18,233 19,819 1,079 39,130 1992 17,909 20,384 1,082 39,375 1993 17,210 18,582 963 36,755 1994 16,720 16,904 812 34,436 1995 15,666 13,294 948 29,908 1996 15,241 13,962 1,004 30,207 1997 14,766 13,900 936 29,602 1998 14,375 14,419 979 29,773 1999 14,223 15,072 1,121 30,416 2000 13,823 14,287 1,165 29,276 2001 14,288 15,385 1,141 30,814 2002 14,662 16,638 1,264 32,564 2003 14,838 20,033 1,348 36,219 Total $675,736 $595,509 $39,443 $1,310,688

US Space Funding, Current Dollars (In millions)

FY

1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Total

NASA

$261 462 926

1,797 3,626 5,016 5,138 5,065 4,830 4,430 3,822 3,547 3,101 3,071 3,093 2,759 2,915 3,225 3,440 3,623 4,030 4,680 4,992 5,528 6,328 6,858 6,925 7,165 9,809 8,322

10,097 11,460 13,046 13,199 13,064 13,022 12,543 12,569 12,457 12,321 12,459 12,521 13,304 13,871 14,360

$319,077

DOD

$490 561 814

1,298 1,550 1,599 1,574 1,689 1,664 1,922 2,013 1,678 1,512 1,407 1,623 1,766 1,892 1,983 2,412 2,738 3,036 3,848 4,828 6,679 9,019

10,195 12,768 14,126 16,287 17,679 17,906 15,616 14,181 15,023 14,106 13,166 10,644 11,514 11,727 12,359 13,203 12,941 14,326 15,740 19,388

$342,490

Total

$785 1,066 1,808 3,294 5,433 6,828 6,953 6,968 6,707 6,526 6,005 5,366 4,775 4,611 4,863 4,683 4,965 5,376 6,046 6,587 7,314 8,759

10,054 12,520 15,674 17,448 20,277 21,768 26,562 26,742 28,563 27,582 27,999 29,020 27,901 26,820 23,946 24,911 24,973 25,519 26,644 26,518 28,692 30,807 35,053

$681,711

Other

$34 43 68

199 257 213 241 214 213 174 170 141 162

133 147 158 158 168 194 226 248 231 234 313 327 395 584 477 466 741 560 506 772 798 731 632 759 828 789 839 982

1,056 1,062 1,196 1,305

$20,144

US Space Funding, Constant FY05 Dollars (In millions)


Space Leaders

(As of July 9, 2004)

US Space Command*

Gen. Robert T. HerresGen. John L. PiotrowskiGen. Donald J. KutynaGen. Charles A. HornerGen. Joseph W. AshyGen. Howell M. Estes IIIGen. Richard B. MyersGen. Ralph E. Eberhart

Sept. 23, 1985-Feb. 5, 1987Feb. 6, 1987-March 30, 1990April 1, 1990-June 30, 1992June 30, 1992-Sept. 12, 1994Sept. 13, 1994-Aug. 26, 1996Aug. 27, 1996-Aug. 13, 1998Aug. 14, 1998-Feb. 22, 2000Feb. 22, 2000-Oct. 1, 2002

Air Force Space Command

Gen. James V. Hartinger

Gen. Robert T. Herres

Maj. Gen. Maurice C. Padden

Lt. Gen. Donald J. Kutyna

Lt. Gen. Thomas S. Moorman Jr.

Gen. Donald J. Kutyna

Gen. Charles A. Horner

Gen. Joseph W. Ashy

Gen. Howell M. Estes III

Gen. Richard B. Myers

Gen. Ralph E. Eberhart

Gen. Lance W. Lord

Sept. 1, 1982-July 30, 1984

July 30, 1984-Oct. 1, 1986

Oct. 1, 1986-Oct. 29, 1987

Oct. 29, 1987-March 29, 1990

March 29, 1990-March 23, 1992

March 23, 1992-June 30, 1992

June 30, 1992-Sept. 13, 1994

Sept. 13, 1994-Aug. 26, 1996

Aug. 26, 1996-Aug. 14, 1998

Aug. 14, 1998-Feb. 22, 2000

Feb. 22, 2000-April 19, 2002

April 19, 2002-

People & Organizations

US Strategic Command

Adm. James O. Ellis Jr.Gen. James E. Cartwright, USMC

Oct. 1, 2002-July 9, 2004July 9, 2004-

*US Space Command was inactivated Oct. 1, 2002, and its mission transferred to USStrategic Command.

Army Space & Missile Defense Command*

*Army Space and Missile Defense Command was the Army Strategic Defense Com-mand until August 1992 and the Army Space and Strategic Defense Command untilOctober 1997.

RAdm. John P. Cryer

Naval Network & Space Operations Command

July 12, 2002-

RAdm. Richard H. Truly

Col. Richard L. Phillips, USMC (acting)

RAdm. D. Bruce Cargill

RAdm. Richard C. Macke

RAdm. David E. Frost

Col. Charles R. Geiger, USMC (acting)

RAdm. L.E. Allen Jr.

RAdm. Herbert A. Browne Jr.

RAdm. Leonard N. Oden

RAdm. Lyle G. Bien

RAdm. Phillip S. Anselmo

RAdm. Katharine L. Laughton

RAdm. Patrick D. Moneymaker

Col. Michael M. Henderson, USMC (acting)

RAdm. Thomas E. Zelibor

RAdm. J.J. Quinn

RAdm. Richard J. Mauldin

RAdm. John P. Cryer

Naval Space Command*

Oct. 1, 1983-Feb. 28, 1986

March 1, 1986-April 30, 1986

April 30, 1986-Oct. 24, 1986

Oct. 24, 1986-March 21, 1988

March 21, 1988-April 2, 1990

April 2, 1990-May 31, 1990

May 31, 1990-Aug. 12, 1991

Aug. 12, 1991-Oct. 28, 1993

Oct. 28, 1993-Jan. 31, 1994

Jan. 31, 1994-Dec. 13, 1994

Dec. 13, 1994-April 18, 1995

April 18, 1995-Feb. 28, 1997

Feb. 28, 1997-Sept. 10, 1998

Sept. 10, 1998-Oct. 1, 1998

Oct. 1, 1998-June 8, 2000

June 8, 2000-March 31, 2001

March 31, 2001-Dec. 10, 2001

Dec. 10, 2001-July 12, 2002

*Naval Space Command and Naval Network Operations Command merged July 12,2002.

Joseph V. Charyk

Brockway McMillan

Alexander H. Flax

John L. McLucas

James W. Plummer

Thomas C. Reed

Hans Mark

Robert J. Hermann

Edward C. Aldridge Jr.

Martin C. Faga

Jeffrey K. Harris

Keith R. Hall (acting)

Keith R. Hall

Peter B. Teets

Sept. 6, 1961-March 1, 1963

March 1, 1963-Oct. 1, 1965

Oct. 1, 1965-March 11, 1969

March 17, 1969-Dec. 20, 1973

Dec. 21, 1973-June 28, 1976

Aug. 9, 1976-April 7, 1977

Aug. 3, 1977-Oct. 8, 1979

Oct. 8, 1979-Aug. 2, 1981

Aug. 3, 1981-Dec. 16, 1988

Sept. 26, 1989-March 5, 1993

May 19, 1994-Feb. 26, 1996

Feb. 27, 1996-March 27, 1997

March 28, 1997-Dec. 13, 2001

Dec. 13, 2001-

National Reconnaissance Office

Lt. Gen. John F. Wall

Brig. Gen. Robert L. Stewart (acting)

Lt. Gen. Robert D. Hammond

Brig. Gen. William J. Schumacher (acting)

Lt. Gen. Donald M. Lionetti

Lt. Gen. Jay M. Garner

Lt. Gen. Edward G. Anderson III

Col. Stephen W. Flohr (acting)

Lt. Gen. John Costello

Brig. Gen. John M. Urias (acting)

Lt. Gen. Joseph M. Cosumano Jr.

Lt. Gen. Larry J. Dodgen

July 1, 1985-May 24, 1988

May 24, 1988-July 11, 1988

July 11, 1988-June 30, 1992

June 30, 1992-July 31, 1992

Aug. 24, 1992-Sept. 6, 1994

Sept. 6, 1994-Oct. 7, 1996

Oct. 7, 1996-Aug. 6, 1998

Aug. 6, 1998-Oct. 1, 1998

Oct. 1, 1998-March 28, 2001

March 28, 2001-April 30, 2001

April 30, 2001-Dec. 16, 2003

Dec. 16, 2003-


CommanderGen. Lance W. Lord

Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.(As of July 1, 2004)

Space Warfare CenterSchriever AFB, Colo.Cmdr.: Maj. Gen. (sel.) Daniel J. Darnell

Space and Missile Systems CenterHq., Los Angeles AFB, Calif.Cmdr.: Lt. Gen. Brian A. Arnold

DMSP Program Office

Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle PO

Launch Programs PO

MILSATCOM Joint Program Office

Navstar Global Positioning System JPO

Satellite and Launch Control PO

Space Based Infrared Systems PO

Space Based Radar JPO

Space Superiority System Program Office 90th Space Wing, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.

91st Space Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.

341st Space Wing, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.

20th Air ForceHq., F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.Cmdr.: Maj. Gen. Frank G. Klotz

14th Air ForceHq., Vandenberg AFB, Calif.Cmdr.: Maj. Gen. Michael A. Hamel

21st Space Wing, Peterson AFB, Colo.

30th Space Wing, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

45th Space Wing, Patrick AFB, Fla.

50th Space Wing, Schriever AFB, Colo.

460th Air Base Wing, Buckley AFB, Colo.

Major Military Space CommandsUnified Command

US Strategic CommandOffutt AFB, Neb.

Service Commands

Air Force Space CommandPeterson AFB, Colo.

Naval Network & SpaceOperations CommandDahlgren, Va.

Army Space & MissileDefense CommandArlington, Va.

Personnel

3,738

26,550

4,834

1,832

FY05 Budget

$497 million

$9.4 billion

$273 million

$678.5 million

Functions

Establishes and provides full-spectrum global strike, coordinatedspace and information operations capabilities to meet bothdeterrent and decisive national security objectives. Providesoperational space support and integrated missile defense. Providesglobal C4ISR, as well as specialized planning expertise to the jointwarfighter.

Operates military space systems, ground-based missile-warningradars and sensors, missile-warning satellites, national launchcenters, and ranges; tracks space debris; operates and maintainsthe USAF ICBM force.

Operates and maintains the Navy’s space and global telecommuni-cations systems and services, directly supports warfightingoperations and command and control of naval forces, and promotesinnovative technological solutions to warfighting requirements.

Manages Army space and information operations and global strike,integrated missile defense, and C4ISR capabilities; provides world-wide space support, including employment of satellite communicationsand theater missile warning to warfighters; oversees Army space andmissile R&D and development of Army space doctrine and concepts.

Undersecretary of the Air Force andDirector, National Reconnaissance Office

Peter B. Teets

USECAF/DNRO Organization(As of July 1, 2004)

Deputy, Military SpaceRobert S. Dickman

Deputy Director of NRODennis D. Fitzgerald

Program Executive Officerfor Air Force SpaceLt. Gen. Brian A. Arnold

Director, National SecuritySpace OfficeMaj. Gen. C. Robert Kehler

Director, Space AcquisitionMaj. Gen. Craig R. Cooning

NationalReconnaissanceOffice


Major US Agencies in Space

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)Headquarters: McLean, Va.Established: 1947Director: John E. McLaughlin (acting)

Mission, Purpose, OperationsThe CIA’s Directorate for Science andTechnology includes the Office of Devel-opment and Engineering, which developssystems from requirements definitionthrough design, testing, and evaluationto operations. Works with systems notavailable commercially. Disciplines in-clude laser communications, digitalimagery processing, real-time data col-lection and processing, electro-optics,advanced signal collection, artificialintelligence, advanced antenna design,mass data storage and retrieval, andlarge systems modeling and simulations.Work includes new concepts and sys-tems upgrades.StructureClassified.PersonnelClassified.

National Geospatial-IntelligenceAgency (NGA)Headquarters: Bethesda, Md.Established: Nov. 24, 2003Director: James R. Clapper Jr.

Mission, Purpose, OperationsNGA is both a national intelligence and acombat support agency whose mission isto provide timely, relevant, and accurategeospatial intelligence in support ofnational security. Geospatial intelligenceis the exploitation and analysis of imag-ery and geospatial information to de-scribe, assess, and visually depict physi-cal features and geographicallyreferenced activities on the Earth.StructureMajor facilities in Washington D.C., North-ern Virginia, and St. Louis areas, withNGA support teams worldwide.PersonnelClassified.

Formerly National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA).

National Reconnaissance Office(NRO)Headquarters: Chantilly, Va.Established: September 1961Director: Peter B. Teets

Mission, Purpose, OperationsDesign, build, and operate reconnais-sance satellites to support global informa-tion superiority for the US. It has operatedhundreds of satellites since it was formedin 1960 and officially recognized in 1961.Responsible for innovative technology;systems engineering; development, ac-quisition, and operation of space recon-naissance systems; and related intelli-gence activities. Supports monitoring ofarms control agreements, military opera-tions and exercises, natural disasters,environmental issues, and worldwideevents of interest to the US.

StructureNRO is a DOD agency, funded throughpart of the National Foreign IntelligenceProgram, known as the National Recon-naissance Program. Both the Secretaryof Defense and Director of Central Intelli-gence have approval of the program.The NRO has one office (space launch)and four directorates (signals intelligencesystems acquisition and operations,communications systems acquisition andoperations, imagery intelligence systemsacquisition and operations, and ad-vanced systems and technology) thatreport to the director.PersonnelStaffed by CIA (41 percent), USAF (49percent), Navy/Marines (nine percent),Army (one percent). Exact personnelnumbers are classified.

National Security Agency (NSA)Headquarters: Ft. Meade, Md.Established: 1952Director: USAF Lt. Gen. Michael V.Hayden

Mission, Purpose, OperationsProtect US communications and produceforeign intelligence information. Taskedwith two primary missions: an informationassurance mission and a foreign signalsintelligence mission. To accomplish thesemissions, the director’s responsibilitiesinclude: prescribing security principles,doctrines, and procedures for the govern-ment; organizing, operating, and manag-ing certain activities and facilities toproduce foreign intelligence information;and conducting defensive informationoperations.StructureEstablished by a Presidential directive in1952 as a separately organized agencywithin DOD under the direction, authority,and control of the Secretary of Defense,who serves as the executive agent of theUS government for the foreign signalsintelligence and communications securityactivities of the government. A 1984Presidential directive charged the agencywith an additional mission: computersecurity. An operations security trainingmission was added in 1988. The CentralSecurity Service was established in 1972by a Presidential memorandum to providea more unified cryptological organizationwithin DOD. The NSA director also servesas chief of the CSS.PersonnelApprox. 30,000 worldwide.

A Titan IVB rocket launches aclassified payload for USAF and NROfrom Complex-4 East at VandenbergAFB, Calif.


Military Sites (Orbital)

Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla.Location: 28.5° N, 80° W.Mission/operations: USAF’s East Coastlaunch site. Launches satellites intogeosynchronous orbit via ELVs. Hub ofEastern Range operations for civil,military, and commercial space launchesand military ballistic missile tests.Launches: 599.Launch vehicles: Athena I, II; Atlas II,III, V; Delta II, III, IV; Titan IV.History: Designated simply as OperatingSub-Division #1 in 1950, it became CapeCanaveral Missile Test Annex and, for atime, Cape Kennedy Air Force Station,then Cape Canaveral Air Force Stationin 1974.Acres: 15,700.

Vandenberg AFB, Calif.Location: 35° N, 121° W.Mission/operations: USAF’s WestCoast launch site. Launches satellitesinto polar orbits via ELVs; sole site fortest launches of USAF ICBM fleet; basicsupport for R&D tests for DOD, USAF,and NASA space, ballistic missile, andaeronautical systems; facilities andessential services for more than 60aerospace contractors on base.Launches: 626.Launch vehicles: Athena I; Atlas II, III,V; Delta II, III, IV; Pegasus; Taurus;Titan II, IV.History: Originally Army’s Camp Cooke,turned over to Air Force January 1957.Renamed Vandenberg Oct. 4, 1958.Acres: 98,400.

Civil/Commercial Sites (Orbital)

Alaska SpaceportLocation: 57.5° N, 153° W.Mission/operations: Commercial launchfacility for polar and near-polar launchesof communications, remote sensing, andscientific satellites up to 8,000 pounds.Launches: Six.Launch vehicles: Athena I, suborbital.History: Established in 1998; fundedthrough Alaska Aerospace DevelopmentCorp.Acres: 3,100.

Florida Space AuthorityLocation: 28.5° N, 80° W.Mission/operations: Various launchcomplexes and support facilitiesdeveloped, operated, or financed by thestate of Florida at the Cape CanaveralSpaceport (comprising Cape CanaveralAir Force Station and Kennedy SpaceCenter). FSA developed or ownsinfrastructure at launch complexes 37,41, 46, and 47 and manages a multiuserlaunch control facility, space experi-ments research and processing labora-tory, and other facilities.Launches: N/ALaunch vehicles: Athena I, II; Minotaur;Minuteman III; Taurus; Terrier.History: Established in 1989.

John F. Kennedy Space Center, Fla.Location: 28° N, 80° W.Mission/operations: NASA’s primarylaunch base for space shuttle.Launches: 134.Launch vehicles: Pegasus, spaceshuttle, Taurus.History: NASA began acquiring landacross the Banana River from CapeCanaveral in 1962. By 1967, its firstlaunch complex—Complex 39—wasoperational. KSC facilities were modifiedin the mid to late 1970s to accommodatethe space shuttle program.Acres: 140,000 (land and water).

Mid-Atlantic Regional SpaceportLocation: 38° N, 76° W (at NASAWallops Flight Facility).Mission/operations: State-ownedlaunch facility cooperatively operated byVirginia and Maryland for access toinclined and sun-synchronous orbits;recovery support for ballistic and guidedre-entry vehicles; vehicle and payloadstorage and processing facilities; twocommercially licensed launchpads andsuborbital launch rails for commercial,

military, scientific, and experimentallaunch customers.Operator: CSC-DynSpace.Launches: 13 (since 1995).Launch vehicles: Athena I, II; BlackBrant; Falcon; Lockheed Martin HYSR;Minotaur; Orion; Pegasus; Taurus;Terrier.

Sea LaunchLocation: Equator, 154° W, PacificOcean.Mission/operations: Provide heavy liftGTO launch services for commercialcustomers worldwide. Sea Launch isowned by an international partnership:Boeing, RSC Energia, Ango-NorwegianKvaerner Group, and SDO Yuzhnoye/POYuzhmash.Launches: 11.Launch vehicles: Zenit-3SL.History: Established in April 1995;demonstration launch March 1999.

Spaceport Systems Intl., L.P.Location: 34.70° N, 120.46° W.Mission/operations: Polar and near-polarLEO launches from Vandenberg; payloadprocessing and launches for commercial,NASA, and USAF customers; small tomedium launch vehicles up to one millionpound thrust; payload processing facilityfor small and heavy satellites.Launches: Two.Launch vehicles: MM II class.History: SSI, a limited partnershipformed by ITT and California CommercialSpaceport, Inc., achieved full operationalstatus of the spaceport in May 1999.

Wallops Flight Facility, Va.Location: 38° N, 76° W.Mission/operations: East Coast launchsite and research airport.Launches: 30.Launch vehicles: 14 suborbitalsounding rockets.History: Established in 1945, it is one ofworld’s oldest launch sites.Acres: 6,166.

Note: Launches 1957-2003, except where noted.

US Space Launch Sites

Space Operations


Military Functions in Space

where on or above the Earth’s surface, inany weather. Enable weapons guidance.Provide a common time reference fornetwork and communications synchroni-zation. Provide precise timing andlocation information aids in navigation,situational awareness, and combatsearch and rescue.

On-Orbit SupportTrack and control satellites, operate theirpayloads, and disseminate data fromthem.

Reconnaissance and SurveillanceObservation of space, air, and surfaceareas through visual, electronic,photographic, or other means to providesituational awareness of a given area oractivity. Access to specific targets,allowing data collection focused onspecific events of interest. Enhance thereaction time of information users andcue other systems. Support the full rangeof intelligence activities and operationalmission planning and execution.

Space ControlControl and exploit space using offensiveand defensive measures to ensure thatfriendly forces can use space capabili-ties, while denying their use to theenemy. The ability to execute offensiveand defensive measures is predicated onprecise space situational awareness.Space situational awareness is anunderstanding of all space-relatedactivity, both on the ground and inspace. This mission is assigned to

The Florida coastline is visible below this Delta II rocket as its solid-fuel boostersfall away while the launch vehicle continues on. This photo, taken from a Boeingvideo, depicts the launch of NASA’s Mars Odyssey payload.

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CommunicationsProvide communications from nationalleaders to joint force commander andfrom JFC to squadron-level commanders.Allow beyond-line-of-sight command andcontrol of forces. Support transmission ofsituational awareness and imagery totactical-level operations. Permit rapidtransmission of JFC intent, ground forceobservations, and adaptive planning.

Environmental/Remote SensingUse space systems to create topographi-cal, hydrographic, and geological mapsand charts and to develop systems oftopographic measurement.

Force ApplicationUS Strategic Command is identifyingpotential future roles, missions, andsystems, which, if authorized by civilianleadership for development and deploy-ment, could attack terrestrial and spacetargets from space in support of nationaldefense.

Missile DefenseEmploy space assets to support identifi-cation, acquisition, tracking, and destruc-tion of ballistic and cruise missileslaunched against forward deployed USforces, allied forces, or US territory.

Navigation and TimingProvide highly accurate time and three-dimensional position and velocityinformation to an unlimited number ofsuitably equipped military users any-

commander, STRATCOM, in the UnifiedCommand Plan.

Space-Based Global EnvironmentalMonitoringCollect global high-resolution cloudimagery and other critical air, land, sea,and space environment data to optimizewar planning and execution.

SpaceliftOversee satellite and booster prepara-tion and integration. Conduct launchcountdown activities. Operate Easternand Western Ranges to support the safeconduct of spacelift missions, ballisticmissile test and evaluations, andaeronautical/guided weapons test andevaluations.

Strategic and Theater Early WarningOperate satellites to give nationalleaders early warning of all strategicmissile events and combatant command-ers/warfighters early warning of alltheater ballistic missile events. Providetimely, accurate data on launch times,locations, and predicted impact areas.Cue passive and active missile defensesystems.

Tactical Warning/Attack AssessmentExecute the NORAD mission calling foruse of all sensors to detect and charac-terize an attack on US or Canadianterritory. STRATCOM carries out similartactical warning in other theaters.


Launch

Year

1958

1959

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Total

Military

0

6

12

20

35

33

44

49

52

51

35

32

23

26

18

14

11

12

17

14

16

10

12

7

8

16

17

13

7

10

11

15

22

17

12

12

18

15

16

10

7

8

12

8

2

11

816

Civil*

7

5

5

12

20

22

25

39

47

34

26

27

8

18

14

10

8

16

12

6

17

7

4

10

9

12

16

17

4

1

9

9

16

18

17

18

19

24

24

82

90

73

40

23

25

12

957

Total

7

11

17

32

55

55

69

88

99

85

61

59

31

44

32

24

19

28

29

20

33

17

16

17

17

28

33

30

11

11

20

24

38

35

29

30

37

39

40

92

97

81

52

31

27

23

1,773

US Satellites Placed in Orbit and Deep Space(As of Dec. 31, 2003)

*Includes some military payloads.

Launch

Year

1958

1959

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Total

Military

0

6

11

19

32

25

33

34

35

29

23

17

18

16

14

11

8

9

11

10

14

8

8

7

6

8

11

4

4

6

8

11

11

6

11

12

11

9

11

9

5

7

11

7

1

11

578

Civil*

7

5

5

10

20

13

24

29

38

29

22

23

11

16

17

12

16

19

15

14

18

8

5

11

12

14

11

13

2

2

4

7

16

12

17

11

15

18

22

28

29

23

17

14

16

16

706

Total

7

11

16

29

52

38

57

63

73

58

45

40

29

32

31

23

24

28

26

24

32

16

13

18

18

22

22

17

6

8

12

18

27

18

28

23

26

27

33

37

34

30

28

21

17

27

1,284

US Military/Civil Launches(As of Dec. 31, 2003)

Note: Data changes in prior years in the table above are based on recategorization ofcivil to military launches.


US Military Payloads by Mission, 1958-2003(Orbital only)

Year

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Total

Flights

2

3

1

0

5

5

0

2

4

1

2

2

3

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

2

3

4

5

9

1

0

2

5

6

6

8

7

7

7

7

8

5

3

5

6

5

1

143

Persons

2

3

1

0

10

10

0

6

12

3

6

6

9

0

3

0

0

0

0

0

4

8

20

28

58

7

0

10

25

32

35

53

42

42

42

43

53

33

19

32

38

34

7

736

US Manned Spaceflights

Month/Year*

March 2005

TBD

TBD

TBD

Name

Discovery

TBD

TBD

TBD

Mission

STS-114

STS-121

STS-115

STS-116

Upcoming Shuttle Flights

*Flight dates beyond March 2005 are under review following the February 2003 loss ofColumbia and its crew.

Category

ApplicationsCommunicationsWeatherNavigationLaunch vehicle/spacecraft testsOther military

Weapons-Related ActivitiesSDI testsAntisatellite targetsAntisatellite interceptors

ReconnaissancePhotographic/radar imagingElectronic intelligenceOcean surveillanceNuclear detectionRadar calibrationEarly warning

Total

Number

345125

4491

382

4611

233

436250

4946124039

827

A Titan IVB rocket is unloaded from a C-5 at Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla. Thisbooster is scheduled for launch in late 2004.

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Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit

Orbits

Orbits result from the mutual attraction of any two bodies with a forceproportional to the product of their individual masses and inverselyproportional to the square of the distance between them. The curvature ofthe Earth, on average, drops 16 feet below the horizontal over a distance ofabout five miles. A spacecraft circling above would “fall” that same amountover the same distance. It travels five miles in one second if gravitationalpull equals one G. Therefore, spacecraft velocity of five miles per second(18,000 mph) produces perpetual orbit at sea level, unless the spacecraft’sflight is upset by perturbations, such as solar wind or mechanical anoma-lies.

LEO60-300 mi.

MEO300-22,300 mi.

HEO 22,300–60,000 mi.

Orbital Altitude

LEO Low Earth orbitMEO Medium Earth orbitGEO Geosynchronous Earth orbitHEO High Earth orbit

GEO 22,300 mi.

Transferellipse

LEO,parkingorbit

Targetorbit

Apogee burn

Perigeeburn Illustrations are not drawn to scale.

It is common procedure topick an initial “parking” or-bit, usually at LEO, thenboost payloads to higher al-titude. Engines are fired first(at perigee) to reach the apo-gee of an elliptical transferorbit and then are fired againto put the spacecraft into acircular orbit at that higheraltitude.

Orbital Inclinations

1 Equatorial2 Sun synchronous3 Polar

3

2

100 mi.

5 mi.

5 mi.

100 mi.

16 ft.

16 ft.

1

This Boeing Delta II rocket is liftingoff from Cape Canaveral AFS inFlorida. It carries into orbit a re-placement satellite for USAF’s Glo-bal Positioning System.

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Space Shuttle Flights, 1981-2004(As of June 19, 2004)

MissionSTS-1STS-2STS-3STS-4*STS-5STS-6STS-7STS-8STS-9STS-10STS-11STS-12STS-13STS-14STS-15*STS-16STS-17STS-18STS-19STS-20STS-21*STS-22STS-23STS-24STS-25STS-26STS-27*STS-29STS-30STS-28*STS-34STS-33*STS-32STS-36*STS-31STS-41STS-38*STS-35STS-37STS-40STS-43STS-48STS-44*STS-39*STS-42STS-45STS-49STS-50STS-46STS-47STS-52STS-53*STS-54STS-56STS-55STS-57STS-51

Launch4/12/81

11/12/813/22/826/27/82

11/11/824/4/83

6/18/838/30/83

11/28/832/3/844/6/84

8/30/8410/5/8411/8/841/24/854/12/854/29/856/17/857/29/858/27/8510/3/85

10/30/8511/26/85

1/12/861/28/869/29/8812/2/883/13/89

5/4/898/8/89

10/18/8911/22/89

1/9/902/28/904/24/9010/6/90

11/15/9012/2/90

4/5/916/5/918/2/91

9/12/9111/24/91

4/28/911/22/923/24/92

5/7/926/25/927/31/929/12/92

10/22/9212/2/921/13/93

4/8/934/26/936/21/939/12/93

Flight123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657

Return4/14/81

11/14/813/30/82

7/4/8211/16/82

4/9/836/24/83

9/5/8312/8/832/11/844/13/84

9/5/8410/13/8411/16/84

1/27/854/19/85

5/6/856/24/85

8/6/859/3/85

10/7/8511/6/8512/3/851/18/86

No Landing10/3/8812/6/883/18/89

5/8/898/13/89

10/23/8911/27/89

1/20/903/4/90

4/29/9010/10/9011/20/9012/10/90

4/11/916/14/918/11/919/18/9112/1/91

5/6/911/30/92

4/2/925/16/92

7/9/928/8/92

9/20/9211/1/9212/9/921/19/934/17/93

5/6/937/1/93

9/22/93

Return11/1/93

12/13/932/11/943/18/944/20/947/23/949/20/94

10/11/9411/14/94

2/11/953/18/95

7/7/957/22/959/18/9511/5/95

11/20/951/20/96

3/9/963/31/965/29/96

7/7/969/26/9612/7/961/22/972/21/97

4/8/975/24/977/17/978/19/9710/6/9712/5/971/31/98

5/3/986/12/9811/7/98

12/15/986/6/99

7/27/9912/27/99

2/22/005/29/009/19/00

10/24/0012/11/00

2/20/013/20/01

5/1/017/24/018/22/01

12/17/013/9/02

4/19/026/19/02

10/18/0212/7/02

No Landing

Launch10/18/93

12/2/932/3/943/4/944/9/947/8/949/9/94

9/30/9411/3/94

2/3/953/2/95

6/27/957/13/95

9/7/9510/20/9511/12/95

1/11/962/22/963/22/965/19/966/20/969/16/96

11/19/961/12/972/11/97

4/4/975/15/97

7/1/978/7/97

9/25/9711/19/97

1/22/984/17/98

6/2/9810/29/98

12/4/985/27/997/22/99

12/19/992/11/005/19/00

9/8/0010/11/0011/30/00

2/7/013/8/01

4/19/017/12/018/10/0112/5/01

3/1/024/8/026/5/02

10/7/0211/23/02

1/16/03

MissionSTS-58STS-61STS-60STS-62STS-59STS-65STS-64STS-68STS-66STS-63STS-67STS-71STS-70STS-69STS-73STS-74STS-72STS-75STS-76STS-77STS-78STS-79STS-80STS-81STS-82STS-83STS-84STS-94STS-85STS-86STS-87STS-89STS-90STS-91STS-95STS-88STS-96STS-93*STS-103STS-99STS-101STS-106*STS-92STS-97STS-98*STS-102*STS-100STS-104*STS-105*STS-108STS-109STS-110STS-111STS-112STS-113STS-107

Flight585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113

*DOD payload.


Major Military Satellite Systems

Advanced Extremely High Fre-quency Satellite CommunicationsSystemCommon name: AEHFIn brief: successor to Milstar, AEHF willprovide assured strategic/tactical,worldwide C2 communications with atleast five times the capacity of Milstar IIbut in a smaller package.Function: EHF communications.Operator: MILSATCOM JPO (acquisi-tion); AFSPC.First launch: December 2006, planned.Constellation: three-five.Orbit altitude: 22,300 miles.Contractor: Lockheed Martin, NorthropGrumman team for system developmentand demonstration.Power plant: N/A.Dimensions: N/A.Weight: approx 13,000 lb.

Advanced Polar SystemCommon name: APSIn brief: next generation polar commu-nications to replace interim polarsystem (see Polar Military SatelliteCommunications, p. 44), whichprovides only a fraction of the polarcommunications capability required byaircraft, submarines, and other forcesoperating in the high northern latitudes.Pre-acquisition, system definition, andrisk reduction efforts started in Fiscal2004.Function: EHF communications.Operator: MILSATCOM JPO (acquisi-tion); AFSPC.First launch: circa 2010.Constellation: two.Orbit altitude: 22,300+ miles.Contractor: TBD.Power plant: TBD.Dimensions: TBD.Weight: TBD.

Advanced Wideband SystemCommon name: AWSIn brief: successor to the Defense SatelliteCommunications System (see at right) andthe Wideband Gap-Filler System (see p.44). Current concept calls for commercial-like satellites, with high-capacity SHF,Internet protocols, and laser crosslink(possible), to provide greatly increasedtactical communications capability foraircraft and mobile ground forces.Function: wideband communications.Operator: MILSATCOM JPO (acquisi-tion); AFSPC.First launch: 2009, planned.Constellation: three-six, planned.Orbit altitude: 22,300 miles.Contractor: TBD.Power plant: TBD.

Space Systems

Dimensions: TBD.Weight: TBD.

Defense Meteorological SatelliteProgramCommon name: DMSPIn brief: satellites that collect air, land,sea, and space environmental data tosupport worldwide strategic and tacticalmilitary operations. Operational controltransferred to NOAA in 1998; backupoperation center at Schriever AFB, Colo.,manned by Air Force Reserve Commandpersonnel.Function: environmental monitoring.Operator: NPOESS Integrated ProgramOffice.First launch: May 23, 1962.Constellation: two (primary).Orbit altitude: approx 575 miles.Contractor: Lockheed Martin, NorthropGrumman.Power plant: solar arrays, 1,200-1,300watts.Dimensions: 4 x 20.2 ft deployed.Weight: 2,545 lb (including 592-lbsensor).

Defense Satellite Communica-tions System IIICommon name: DSCSIn brief: nuclear-hardened and jam-resistant spacecraft used to transmithigh-priority C2 messages to battlefieldcommanders.Function: SHF communications.Operator: AFSPC.First launch: October 1982.Constellation: five.On orbit: 13.Orbit altitude: 22,000+ miles.Contractor: Lockheed Martin.Power plant: solar array, avg. 1,269watts (pre-system life enhancementprogram); avg. 1,500 watts (SLEP; firstSLEP satellite launched Jan. 20, 2000).Dimensions: 6 x 6 x 7 ft; 38 ft de-ployed.Weight: 2,580 lb (pre-SLEP); 2,716 lb(SLEP).

Defense Support ProgramCommon name: DSPIn brief: early warning spacecraft whoseinfrared sensors detect heat generatedby a missile or booster plume.Function: strategic and tactical missilelaunch detection.Operator: AFSPC.First launch: November 1970.Constellation: classified.On orbit: classified.Orbit altitude: 22,000+ miles.Contractor: Northrop Grumman.Power plant: solar array, 1,485 watts.

Dimensions: 22 x 32.8 ft deployed.Weight: approx 5,000 lb.

Global Broadcast SystemCommon name: GBSIn brief: wideband communicationsprogram, initially using leased commer-cial satellites, then military systems, toprovide digital multimedia data directly totheater warfighters.Function: high-bandwidth data imageryand video.Operator: Navy.First launch: March 1998 (Phase 2payload on UHF Follow-On).Constellation: three; commercialaugmentation.On orbit: three.Orbit altitude: 23,230 miles.Contractor: Raytheon (Phase 2).Power plant: (interim host satellite: UHFFollow-On) 3,800 watts.Dimensions: numerous items integratedthroughout host.

Global Positioning SystemCommon name: GPSIn brief: constellation of satellites usedby military and civilians to determine aprecise location and time anywhere onEarth. Block IIR began replacing olderGPS spacecraft in mid-1997; firstmodified Block IIR-M with military (M-code) on two channels launches in 2004.Next generation Block IIF with extendeddesign life, faster processors, and newcivil signal on third frequency launches in2006. Generation after next GPS III withadvanced antijam and higher quality datais slated for initial launch in 2012.Function: worldwide navigation.Operator: AFSPC.First launch: Feb. 22, 1978 (Block I).Constellation: 28.Orbit altitude: 12,600 miles.Contractor: Boeing (II, IIA, IIF);Lockheed Martin (IIR, IIR-M).Power plant: solar array, 1,136 watts(IIR/IIR-M); up to 2,900 watts (IIF).Dimensions: 5 x 6.3 x 6.25 ft; 38 ftdeployed (IIR/IIR-M); 12.9 x 43.1 ftdeployed (IIF).Weight: 2,370 lb (IIR/IIR-M); 3,407 lb (IIF).

Milstar Satellite CommunicationsSystemCommon Name: MilstarIn brief: joint communications satellitethat provides secure, jam-resistantcommunications for essential wartimeneeds.Function: EHF communications.Operator: AFSPC.First launch: Feb. 7, 1994.Constellation: five.


On orbit: five.Orbit altitude: 22,300 miles.Contractor: Lockheed Martin (prime),with Boeing, Northrop Grumman.Power plant: solar array, 8,000 watts.Dimensions: 51 ft; 116 ft deployed.Weight: approx 10,000 lb.

Mobile User Objective System(also known as Advanced NarrowbandSystem)Common name: MUOSIn brief: next generation narrowbandUHF tactical communications satellite toreplace the UHF Follow-On Satellite (seebelow at right). Concept study contractsawarded in 1999; production awardexpected in summer 2004; initial launch in2007.Function: UHF tactical communications.Operator: Navy.First launch: 2009, planned.Constellation: four, plus spare.On orbit: none.Orbit altitude: 22,300 miles.Contractor: TBD.Power plant: TBD.Dimensions: TBD.Weight: TBD.

Polar Military Satellite Communi-cations(also known as Interim Polar and AdjunctPolar)Common name: Polar MILSATCOMIn brief: USAF deployed a modifiedNavy EHF payload on a host polar-orbiting satellite to provide an interimsolution to ensure warfighters haveprotected polar communicationscapability. Polars 2 and 3 slated forlaunch in 2004 and 2006, respectively.Function: EHF polar communications.Operator: Navy.First launch: 1997.Constellation: three.On orbit: one.Orbit altitude: 25,300 miles (apogee).Contractor: classified.Power plant: 410 watts consumed bypayload (power from host solar array).Dimensions: numerous items integratedthroughout host.Weight: 470 lb.

Space Based Infrared SystemHighCommon name: SBIRS HighIn brief: advanced surveillance systemfor missile warning, missile defense,battlespace characterization, andtechnical intelligence. System initiallywill complement, then replace, DefenseSupport Program spacecraft (see p. 43).Function: infrared space surveillance.Operator: AFSPC.First launch: 2007, planned.Constellation: four GEO sats, plus oneon-orbit spare, and two sensors in highlyelliptical orbit.On orbit: none.Contractor: Lockheed Martin, NorthropGrumman.Power plant: solar array, 2,435 watts.Dimensions: 6 x 7 x 17 ft.Weight: 5,442 lb.

Space Based Radar

Common name: SBRIn brief: spaceborne capability to trackmoving targets in operational theater.Function: track moving ground targets.Operator: SMC/NRO JPO (development/acquisition); AFSPC.First launch: 2012, planned.Constellation: TBD.On orbit: none.Contractor: Lockheed Martin andNorthrop Grumman leading conceptdevelopment efforts. Final selectionplanned for 2006.Power plant: TBD.Dimensions: TBD.Weight: TBD.

Space Tracking and SurveillanceSystem(formerly SBIRS Low).Common name: STSSIn brief: infrared surveillance andtracking satellites to detect and trackballistic missiles from launch to impact.System is sensor component of layeredballistic missile defense system and willwork with SBIRS High (see above).Function: infrared surveillance.Operator: MDA (acquisition); AFSPC.First launch: 2007 for R&D, planned.Constellation: two.On orbit: none.Contractor: Northrop Grumman,Raytheon.Power plant: TBD.Dimensions: TBD.Weight: TBD.

Transformational Satellite Com-munications SystemCommon name: TSATIn brief: joint communications satellitebeing designed to provide Internet-likeconnectivity to warfighters at thetactical level. It will feature lasercrosslink and greatly reduced transmis-sion time to users on the ground.Intended to replace Advanced Ex-tremely High Frequency system (see p.43), it is slated for launch around 2012.

Currently in design and risk-reductionphase.Function: EHF communications.Operator: MILSATCOM JPO (acquisi-tion); AFSPC.First launch: 2012, planned.Constellation: five.On orbit: none.Orbit altitude: 22,300 miles.Contractor: TBD.Power plant: TBD.Dimensions: TBD.Weight: TBD.

UHF Follow-On SatelliteCommon name: UFOIn brief: new generation satellitesproviding secure, antijam communica-tions; replaced FLTSATCOM satellites.Function: UHF and EHF communica-tions.Operator: Navy.First launch: March 25, 1993.Constellation: four primary, fourredundant.On orbit: nine.Orbit altitude: 22,300 miles.Contractor: Boeing Satellite Systems.Power plant: solar array, 2,500-3,800watts.Dimensions: 60 ft deployed (F-2-F-7);86 ft deployed (F-8-F10).Weight: 2,600-3,400 lb.

Wideband Gap-Filler SystemCommon name: WGSIn brief: high data rate satellitebroadcast system (primarily commer-cial product) meant to bridge thecommunications gap between currentsystems—DSCS and GBS—and AWS(see above).Function: wideband communicationsand point-to-point service (Ka-band, Ku-band, X-band frequencies).Operator: AFSPC.First launch: 2006, planned.Constellation: three-five.Orbit altitude: GEO.Contractor: Boeing.

Pictured is an artist’s conception of the Wideband Gap-Filler System, meant tobridge the gap between current and future communication satellites.


Major Civilian Satellites in US Military Use

Geostationary Operational Envi-ronmental SatelliteCommon name: GOESIn brief: in equatorial orbit to collectweather data for short-term forecasting.Function: storm monitoring andtracking, meteorological research.Operator: NOAA.First launch: Oct. 16, 1975 (GOES-1).Constellation: two, with on-orbit spare.Orbit altitude: 22,300 miles.Contractor: Space Systems/Loral.Power plant: solar array, 1,050 watts.Dimensions: 6.6 x 6.9 x 7.5 ft; 15.8 x8.9 ft deployed. (GOES-10).Weight: 4,600 lb.

GlobalstarCommon name: GlobalstarIn brief: mobile communications withprovision for security controls.Function: communications.Operator: Globalstar L.P.First launch: February 1998.Constellation: 48.Orbit altitude: 878 miles.Contractor: Space Systems/Loral.Power plant: solar array, 1,100 watts.Dimensions: 4.9 x 35.3 ft deployed.Weight: 990 lb.

IkonosCommon name: IkonosIn brief: one-meter resolution Earthimaging. Slated for shutdown in 2007.Function: remote sensing.Operator: Space Imaging, Inc.First launch: Sept. 24, 1999.Constellation: one.Orbit altitude: 423 miles.Contractor: Lockheed Martin.Power plant: solar array.Dimensions: 5.9 x 5.9 x 5.2 ft.Weight: 1,600 lb.

InmarsatCommon name: InmarsatIn brief: peacetime mobile communica-tions services, primarily by US Navy.Function: communications.Operator: International MaritimeSatellite Organization.First launch: February 1982 (firstlease), Oct. 30, 1990 (first launch).Constellation: nine.Orbit altitude: 22,300 miles.Contractor: Lockheed Martin (Inmarsat 3).Power plant: solar array, 2,800 watts.Dimensions: 6.9 x 5.9 x 57.8 ft deployed.Weight: 4,545 lb (Inmarsat 3).

IntelsatCommon name: IntelsatIn brief: routine communications anddistribution of Armed Forces Radio andTV Services network.Function: communications.Operator: International Telecommunica-tions Satellite Organization.First launch: April 6, 1965 (Early Bird).Constellation: 20.Orbit altitude: 22,300 miles.Contractor: Space Systems/Loral(Intelsat 9 series).Power plant: solar array, 8,500 watts(Intelsat 902).Dimensions: 9.2 x 11.55 x 18.5 ft; 102.3ft deployed (Intelsat 902).Weight: 10,390 lb (Intelsat 902).

IridiumCommon name: IridiumIn brief: voice, fax, data transmission.Function: handheld, mobile communica-tions.Operator: Iridium L.L.C.First Launch: May 5, 1997.Constellation: 66 (six on-orbit spares).Orbit: 485 miles.Contractor: Lockheed Martin, Motorola.Power plant: solar array, 590 watts.Dimensions: 3.3 x 13.5 ft.Weight: 1,516 lb.

LandsatCommon name: LandsatIn brief: imagery use includes mappingand planning for tactical operations.Function: remote sensing.Operator: NASA.First launch: July 23, 1972.Constellation: one.Orbit altitude: 438 miles (polar).Contractor: Lockheed Martin.Power plant: solar array, 1,550 watts.Dimensions: 9 x 14 ft.Weight: 4,800 lb.

National Polar-orbiting OperationalEnvironmental Satellite SystemCommon name: NPOESSIn brief: advanced joint civil-militarypolar environmental satellite thatprovides weather, atmosphere, ocean,land, and near-space data. Managed bytri-agency (DOD, Department ofCommerce, and NASA) integratedprogram office. Designed to replaceUSAF’s DMSP and NOAA’s Polar-orbiting Operational EnvironmentalSatellite (POES) (see below).

Function: worldwide environmentalforecasting.Operator: IPO (AFSPC for acquisitionand launch; NOAA for operations).First launch: 2008, planned.Constellation: two.On orbit: none.Orbit altitude: 22,300 miles.Contractor: Northrop Grumman.Power plant: TBD.Dimensions: TBD.Weight: TBD.

OrbcommCommon name: OrbcommIn brief: potential military use understudy in Joint Interoperability WarfighterProgram.Function: mobile communications.Operator: Orbcomm Global L.P.First launch: April 1995.Constellation: 35.Orbit altitude: 500-1,200 miles.Contractor: Orbital Sciences.Power plant: solar array, 160 watts.Dimensions: 7.3 x 14.2 ft.Weight: 90 lb.

Pan Am SatCommon name: Pan Am SatIn brief: routine communicationsproviding telephone, TV, radio, and data.Function: communications.Operator: Pan Am Sat.First launch: 1983.Constellation: 21.Orbit altitude: 22,300 miles.Contractor: Boeing.Power plant: solar array, 4,800 watts.Dimensions: 16.2 x 8.8 x 12 ft; 86 ftdeployed (Galaxy III-R).Weight: 6,760 lbs (Galaxy III-R).

Polar-orbiting Operational Envi-ronmental Satellite(also known as NOAA-K, L, and M beforelaunch; NOAA-15, 16, and 17, respectively,once on orbit).Common name: POESIn brief: two advanced third generationenvironmental satellites (one morningorbit and one afternoon orbit) providelonger-term weather updates for allareas of the world. Final two spacecraftin this series are NOAA-N (slated forlaunch in 2005) and N Prime. To bereplaced by NPOESS.Function: extended weather forecasting.Operator: NOAA (on-orbit); NASA(launch).

Power plant: solar arrays, 9,934 watts.Dimensions: based on Boeing 702 bus.Weight: 13,000 lb.

Dark and SpookyA number of intelligence satellites are

operated by US agencies in cooperationwith the military. The missions and,especially, the capabilities are closelyguarded secrets. Using a page from theSoviet book on naming satellites, the USgovernment started in the 1980s calling allgovernment satellites “USA” with a

sequential number. This allowed them tokeep secret the names of satellites whichmonitor the Earth with radar, opticalsensors, and electronic intercept capability.

Most of the names of satellites, suchas White Cloud (ocean reconnaissance),Aquacade (electronic ferret), andTrumpet (Sigint), are essentially opensecrets but cannot be confirmed by theIntelligence Community. However, themove to declassify space systems hasled to the release of selected informationon some systems. Pictures of the

Lacrosse radar imaging satellite havebeen released without details on thesystem.

Recently, NRO revealed that it isdeveloping a new satellite system, dubbedORCA for Optical Relay CommunicationsArchitecture. ORCA will be a nextgeneration communications satellite withlaser and radio frequency communica-tions, providing at least 10 times thecapacity of current systems. Specificdetails, including a launch time frame,currently are classified, but DOD and NROinclude ORCA in the TransformationalCommunications Architecture, as acomplement to TSAT and other nextgeneration systems.


First launch: May 13, 1998 (NOAA-15).Constellation: two.Orbit altitude: 517 miles.Contractor: Lockheed Martin.Power plant: solar array, 1,000+ watts.Dimensions: 6.2 x 13.8 ft (NOAA-15).Weight: approx 4,900 lb (NOAA-15).

Quickbird 2Common name: Quickbird 2In brief: high-resolution imagery formapping, military surveillance, weatherresearch, and other uses.Function: remote sensing.Operator: DigitalGlobe.First launch: Oct. 18, 2001.Constellation: one.Orbit altitude: 279 miles.Contractor: Ball Aerospace.Power plant: solar array.Dimensions: 9.8 x 5.2 x 5.2 ft.Weight: 2,088 lb.

Satellite Pour l’Observation dela TerreCommon name: SPOTIn brief: terrain images used for mission-planning systems, terrain analysis, andmapping.Function: remote sensing.Operator: SPOT Image S.A. (France).First launch: Feb. 22, 1986.Constellation: three.Orbit altitude: 509 miles.Contractor: Matra Marconi Space France.Power plant: solar array, 2,100 watts(SPOT 4).Dimensions: 6.6 x 6.6 x 18.4 ft (SPOT 4).Weight: 5,940 lb (SPOT 4).

TelstarCommon name: TelstarIn brief: commercial satellite-based,rooftop-to-rooftop communications for

Delta IIFunction: lift medium weights.First launch: Feb. 14, 1989.Launch site: CCAFS, VAFB.Contractor: Boeing.

Delta IIIFunction: lift medium weights.First launch: Aug. 26, 1998.Launch site: CCAFS.Contractor: Boeing.

Delta IVFunction: lift medium to heavy weights.First launch: Nov. 20, 2002.Launch site: CCAFS, VAFB.Contractor: Boeing.

EELVFunction: lift medium to heavy weights.Note: Atlas V and Delta IV (see individualentries) are participating in USAF’sevolved expendable launch vehicle(EELV) modernization program to cutlaunch costs by 25 to 50 percent. Thesesystems will eventually replace Delta II,Atlas II, Titan II, and Titan IV launchvehicles.

PegasusFunction: lift low weights.

Athena IFunction: lift low to medium weights.First launch: Aug. 22, 1997.Launch site: CCAFS, VAFB.Contractor: Lockheed Martin.

Athena IIFunction: lift low to medium weights.First launch: Jan. 6, 1998.Launch site: CCAFS, VAFB.Contractor: Lockheed Martin.

Atlas IIFunction: lift medium weights.Variants: IIA and IIAS.First launch: Dec. 7, 1991.Launch site: CCAFS, VAFB.Contractor: Lockheed Martin.

Atlas IIIFunction: lift medium to heavy weights.Variants: IIIA and IIIB.First launch: May 24, 2000 (IIIA).Launch site: CCAFS, VAFB.Contractor: Lockheed Martin.

Atlas VFunction: lift medium to heavy weights.First launch: Aug. 21, 2002.Launch site: CCAFS, VAFB.Contractor: Lockheed Martin.

Major US Launchers in US Military Use

Variants: Standard and XL.First launch: (Standard) April 5, 1990;(XL) June 27, 1994.Launch site: dropped from L-1011 aircraft.Contractor: Orbital Sciences, Alliant.

Space shuttleFunction: lift heavy weights.First launch: April 12, 1981.Launch site: Kennedy Space Center, Fla.Contractor: Boeing (Launch).

TaurusFunction: lift low weights.Variants: Standard and XL.First launch: March 13, 1994.Launch site: CCAFS, VAFB, WallopsIs.Contractor: Orbital Sciences.

Titan IIFunction: lift low to medium weights.First launch: April 8, 1964 (NASA).Launch site: VAFB.Contractor: Lockheed Martin.

Titan IVBFunction: lift heavy weights.First launch: (IVB) Feb. 23, 1997.Launch site: CCAFS, VAFB.Contractor: Lockheed Martin.

US Army and other DOD agencies.Function: communications.Operator: Loral Skynet.First launch: November 1994.Constellation: three.Orbit altitude: 22,300 miles.Contractor: Space Systems/Loral.Power plant: solar array, 7,000 watts.Dimensions: 28.3 x 18.5 x 102.6 ftdeployed (Telstar 12).Weight: 3,514 lb (Telstar 12).

Tracking and Data Relay SatelliteSystemCommon name: TDRSSIn brief: global network that allows other

A Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System spacecraft undergoes factorytesting, prior to shipment to Cape Canaveral, Fla.

spacecraft in LEO to communicate with acontrol center without an elaboratenetwork of ground stations.Function: communications relay.Operator: NASA.First launch: April 1983.Constellation: six.Orbit altitude: 22,300 miles.Contractor: Boeing.Power plant: solar array, 2,042 watts(TDRSS H, I, J).Dimensions: 43.5 x 68.1 ft (H, I, J).Weight: approx 3,300 lb (H, I, J).


Foreign Orbital Launches(As of Dec. 31, 2003)

Year196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003Total

France112

21

3

10

China

11

32

1

11131224

51415236645146

76

Japan

121

1212322313322322321121122

132

59

ESA

1

2

243227758776

111012111012

811

4152

India

11

1

1

2

11

1

212

14

Israel

1

1

1

1

4

Russia4844667470818374868189999888878998

101989798919590747559544748322528242835252524

2,628

UK

1

1

Russian Military vs. Civil Launches(As of Dec. 31, 2003)

Total21336

2017304844667470818374868189999888878998

101989798919590747559544748322528242835252524

2,710

Year19571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003Total

Military0000057

1525274649515560535852607469606064596858636463625342453032262615

810

967977

1,659

Civilian21336

151015231720251926232128292925292827253933403434283337323029222122171718152228161817

1,051

Russian Military Launches for 2003

Communications

Early warning

Electronic intelligence (ocean recon)

Navigation

Photoreconnaissance

Total

Launches

3

1

0

2

1

7

Spacecraft

4

1

0

4

1

10

Foreign Space Activities


Russian Launch Site Activity for 2003

Vehicle

Baikonur Cosmodrome, Tyuratam, KazakhstanProton-K/Blok DM-2Proton-K/Blok DM-2MProton-K/Briz-MSoyuz-FGSoyuz-FG/FregatSoyuz-UStrela 1Total

Odyssey Platform, Pacific Ocean (Sea Launch)Zenit-3SLTotal

Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Plesetsk, RussiaKosmos-3MMolniya-MRokot/Briz-KMTotal

Number of launches

1222241

14

33

3227

Antisatellite target tests 18Antisatellite interceptor tests 20Communications 334Early warning 83Earth orbital science 212Earth resources 100Electronic intelligence 133Fractional orbital bombardment system tests 18General engineering and materials processing 16Geodesy 34Navigation 236Ocean electronic intelligence 85Photographic reconnaissance 809Theater communication 535Undefined military operations 162Weather 75Total 2,870

Russian Military/Civil Payloads byMission, 1957-2003

(As of Dec. 31, 2003)

Number1

6

5

5

6

3

1

1

10

6

MissionCommunications

Early warning

Electronic intelligence

Navigation

TypeKosmos (Geizer)

Kosmos (Strela-3)

Molniya-1T

Molniya-3

Raduga/Raduga-1

Kosmos (Oko)

Kosmos (Prognoz)

Kosmos (Tselina-2)

Kosmos (GLONASS)*

Kosmos (Parus)

*Kosmos (GLONASS) is both civilian and military.

Russian Operational Military Spacecraft(As of Dec. 31, 2003)

*Total number of persons who flew in space in a given year.Some individuals made multiple flights.

Year1961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003Total

Flights2221101151202343352633232133132223222212222

96

Persons*22232011

1126046866

104

1368595289276658655635665

222

Russian Manned Spaceflights(As of Dec. 31, 2003)

USAF Lt. Col. Edward Fincke (left), a Russian cosmonaut, anda Dutch astronaut arrive for a training session in preparationfor a mission on the International Space Station.

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Nation

AfghanistanAustriaBelgiumBulgariaCanadaChinaCubaCzechoslovakiaFranceGermanyHungaryIndiaIsraelItalyJapanMexicoMongoliaNetherlandsPolandRomaniaRussiaSaudi ArabiaSlovakiaSouth AfricaSpainSwitzerlandSyriaUkraineUnited KingdomUnited StatesVietnamTotal

Persons

11228111991114511111

9711111111

2741

432

Spacefarers(As of Dec. 31, 2003)

Payloads in Orbit(As of Dec. 31, 2003)

Launcher/operator

RussiaUnited StatesJapanIntl. TelecommunicationsSatellite Orgn.FranceChinaESAUnited KingdomIndiaGermanyCanadaLuxembourgItalyAustraliaBrazilSaudi ArabiaSwedenIndonesiaNATOSouth KoreaArgentinaMexicoSpainCzechoslovakiaIsraelNetherlandsTurkeyInternational Space StationThailandDenmarkMalaysiaNorwayEgyptFrance/GermanyPhilippinesUnited Arab EmiratesAlgeriaChileGreeceNigeriaPakistanPortugalSingaporeSouth AfricaTaiwanTotal

Objects

1,3681,054

88

6056464332272221131110101010

9887665555443332222111111111

2,979

China’s first manned spacecraft,Shenzhou 5, lifts off at the JiuquanSatellite Launch Center on Oct. 15,2003. China is only the third countryto launch a human being into orbit.

AP

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118.3 miles on the second Mercurymission.

Feb. 20, 1962. Project Mercury astronautLt. Col. John H. Glenn Jr., aboard Friend-ship 7 capsule, completes first US mannedorbital flight.

April 23, 1962. The 6555th AerospaceTest Wing launches an Atlas D/Agena Bvehicle that carries NASA’s Ranger 4, thefirst US instrument package to reach themoon.

May 23 1962. US deploys first DMSPspacecraft.

July 17, 1962. Air Force Capt. Robert M.White earns astronaut wings when hereaches altitude of nearly 60 miles inrocket-powered X-15, first aircraft to beflown to lower edge of space, consideredto be 50 miles.

May 15, 1963. USAF Maj. L. GordonCooper Jr. makes nearly 22 orbits inspacecraft Faith 7, becoming the firstAmerican astronaut to spend a completeday in orbit, first to perform an entirelymanual re-entry, and last to go into spacealone.

Oct. 17, 1963. Vela Hotel satellite per-forms first space-based detection ofnuclear explosion.

March 22, 1946. First US rocket to leaveEarth’s atmosphere, JPL-Ordnance WAC,reaches 50-mile height after launch fromWhite Sands Proving Ground, N.M.

Feb. 24, 1949. Bumper-WAC Corporaltwo-stage rocket, first with fully tankedsecond stage, reaches record altitude of244 miles and velocity of 5,150 mph.

July 24, 1950. Bumper No. 8 becomesfirst missile launched from CapeCanaveral, Fla.

Sept. 20, 1956. US Jupiter C rocket, partof the Army’s 1954 Project Orbiter,achieves record first flight, reaching alti-tude of 682 miles and landing 3,400 milesfrom Cape Canaveral.

Oct. 4, 1957. USSR launches Sputnik 1,first man-made satellite, into Earth orbit.

Dec. 17, 1957. USAF Atlas ICBM makesfirst successful test flight.

Jan. 31, 1958. US launches its first satel-lite, Explorer 1.

Dec. 18, 1958. Project Score spacecraftconducts first US active communicationfrom space.

Feb. 28, 1959. In test, USAF successfullylaunches Discoverer 1 (of then-classifiedCorona program), world’s first polar-orbiting satellite, from Vandenberg AFB,Calif..

April 6, 1959. The first military unit to becharged with conducting military satelliteoperations, USAF’s 6594th Test Wing, isestablished at Palo Alto, Calif.

April 13, 1959. Air Force Thor/Agena Aboosts into orbit the Discoverer 2 satellite,the first satellite to be stabilized in orbit inall three axes, to be maneuvered oncommand from Earth, to separate a re-entry vehicle on command, and to send itsre-entry vehicle back to Earth.

Aug. 7, 1959. US carries out first satelliteintercontinental relay of a voice message.

Aug. 7, 1959. Explorer 6 spacecraft trans-mits first television pictures from space.

April 1, 1960. TIROS 1 is first US weathersatellite to go aloft.

April 13, 1960. Transit 1B becomes firstUS navigation satellite in space.

May 24, 1960. MIDAS II is first earlywarning satellite in orbit.

Military Space Firsts

Military Space Lore

June 22, 1960. US launches GalacticRadiation and Background (GRAB)satellite, the nation’s first successfulreconnaissance spacecraft. It collectselectronic intelligence (Elint) from Sovietair defense radars.

Aug. 18, 1960. Discoverer/Coronasatellite takes first image of Soviet territoryever snapped from space.

Aug. 19, 1960. Capsule containing firstsatellite photographs of Soviet Unionejected from Discoverer 14 becomesfirst orbital payload recovered in midairby C-119 Flying Boxcar.

April 12, 1961. Soviet cosmonaut YuriGagarin pilots Vostok 1 through nearlyone orbit to become first human in space.

May 5, 1961. Lt. Cmdr. Alan B. ShepardJr., aboard Freedom 7 Mercury capsule,becomes first American in space, climbingto 116.5 miles during suborbital flightlasting 15 minutes, 28 seconds.

July 12, 1961. First Atlas D/Agena Bbooster lifts MIDAS III satellite, theheaviest US spacecraft to date, into arecord 1,850-mile-high orbit.

July 21, 1961. Capt. Virgil I. “Gus”Grissom becomes the first Air Forceastronaut in space, reaching an altitude of

Bumper No. 8 lifts off from Cape Canaveral on July 24, 1950, as members ofthe media record the event a few hundred feet from the launchpad. Pictured inthe lower right corner is the “control center,” which was nothing more than awooden shack.


Aug. 14, 1964. First Atlas/Agena D stan-dard launch vehicle successfully fired fromVandenberg.

March 18, 1965. First space walk con-ducted by Alexei Leonov from SovietVoskhod 2.

June 4, 1965. Gemini 4 astronaut USAFMaj. Edward H. White II performs firstAmerican space walk.

June 18, 1965. USAF accepts Titan III,first Air Force vehicle specifically designedand developed as a military spacebooster.

Dec. 15, 1965. In a first for the US spaceprogram, crews of Gemini 6 and Gemini 7rendezvous in space. Navy Capt. WalterM. Schirra and USAF Maj. Thomas P.Stafford in Gemini 6 maneuver to within afoot of Gemini 7.

Dec. 16, 1965. Astronauts Schirra andStafford conduct the first controlled re-entry of a manned spacecraft to apredetermined landing point on Earth.

Jan. 25, 1967. Soviet Kosmos 139antisatellite weapon carries out first frac-tional orbital bombardment system test.

Jan. 27, 1967. First deaths in US space-craft occur in flash fire in Apollo 1 com-mand module, killing astronauts Lt. Cmdr.Roger B. Chaffee and USAF Lt. Cols.Virgil I. Grissom and Edward H. White II.

July 3-4, 1967. Air Force, Army, and Navyconduct first satellite-based tacticalcommunications.

Oct. 20, 1968. Soviet Kosmos 248 andKosmos 249 spacecraft carry out first co-orbital antisatellite test.

Dec. 21-27, 1968. Apollo 8 astronauts—USAF Col. Frank Borman, Navy Cmdr.James A. Lovell Jr., and USAF Maj.William A. Anders—become the firsthumans to orbit the moon.

July 20, 1969. At 10:56 p.m. EDT, Apollo11 astronaut Neil A. Armstrong puts hisfoot on the surface of the moon, becomingthe first human to do so. He and lunarmodule pilot, USAF Col. Edwin E. “Buzz”Aldrin Jr., spend just under three hourswalking on the moon, while the commandmodule pilot, USAF Lt. Col. MichaelCollins, orbits overhead.

November 1970. USAF launches firstclassified DSP satellite, whose infraredsensors provide space-based earlywarning of missile launches.

April 19, 1971. First space station, Salyut1, goes aloft.

Nov. 2, 1971. Titan IIIC launches firstDSCS Phase II satellites into GEO.

Feb. 9, 1978. Atlas booster launched atCape Canaveral carries Navy’s first Fleetcommunications satellite, dubbedFLTSATCOM, into orbit.

Feb. 22, 1978. Atlas booster carries firstGPS Block I satellite into orbit.

Dec. 13, 1978. Successful launch of twoDSCS II satellites puts full four-satelliteconstellation at users’ disposal for firsttime.

April 12-14, 1981. First orbital flight ofspace shuttle and first landing from orbitof reusable spacecraft.

Dec. 20, 1982. First DMSP Block 5D-2satellite launched.

May 1, 1983. USAF enlisted satellite controlspecialists officially begin operations at AirForce Space Command, marking the firsttime in its history that noncomissioned AirForce personnel have been permitted to “fly”spacecraft on a regular basis.

Aug. 30, 1983. USAF Col. Guion S.Bluford Jr. becomes the first AfricanAmerican in space, as a mission specialistaboard Challenger.

Jan. 24-27, 1985. On the 15th shuttlemission, the crew of Discovery carries outthe first dedicated DOD flight, deploying aclassified payload, believed to be asignals intelligence (Sigint) satellite.

Sept. 13, 1985. First US antisatelliteintercept test destroys Solwind scientificsatellite by air-launched weapon.

Oct. 3, 1985. Shuttle Atlantis performsfirst launch of pair of DSCS III satellitesfrom space shuttle using inertial upperstage (IUS).

Jan. 28, 1986. Space shuttle Challengerexplodes after liftoff, killing seven astro-nauts.

Feb. 14, 1989. Launch of first Block II GPSsatellite begins operational constellation.

June 14, 1989. First Titan IV heavy-liftspace booster is successfully launchedfrom Launch Complex 40 at CapeCanaveral. The booster, nearly 20 storiestall, carries a classified military payload.

April 24, 1990. Marine Col. Charles F.Bolden becomes the first African Ameri-can to pilot a US spacecraft, shuttleDiscovery. He would later be the firstAfrican American commander of a shuttlemission, aboard Discovery on Feb. 3,1994.

Aug. 5, 1990. Over Edwards AFB, Calif.,a B-52 carrier aircraft drops an air-launched Pegasus space booster on itsfirst flight, which is a success.

Jan. 17, 1991. What USAF calls “the firstspace war,” Operation Desert Storm,opens with air attacks.

Feb. 11, 1992. First military launch of anAtlas II/Centaur takes place at CapeCanaveral.

Jan. 13, 1993. USAF Maj. Susan J.Helms, flying aboard Endeavour, becomesfirst US military woman in space.

July 19, 1993. Launch of DSCS Phase IIIsatellite into GEO provides first full five-satellite DSCS III constellation.

Feb. 7, 1994. First Titan IV Centaurbooster launches first Milstar Block Isatellite into orbit.

March 13, 1994. First launch of Taurusbooster places two military satellites inorbit.

Feb. 6, 1995. USAF Lt. Col. Eileen M.Collins is the first woman to pilot anAmerican spacecraft, doing so whenshuttle Discovery and space station Mirperform the first US-Russian space

Astronaut and USAF Maj. Edward White II became the first American to walk inspace during the Gemini 4 mission on June 4, 1965. White was attached to thespacecraft by a 25-foot umbilical line and a 23-foot tether line, both wrappedin gold tape to form one cord.


Aerospace. A physical region made up ofEarth’s atmosphere and the spacebeyond.

Aerospace plane. A reusable spacecraftable to operate effectively in both theatmosphere and space. Also known as a“transatmospheric vehicle” or, morecurrently, “spaceplane.”

Apogee. The point of greatest distancefrom Earth (or the moon, a planet, etc.)achieved by a body in elliptical orbit.Usually expressed as distance fromEarth’s surface.

Atmosphere. Earth’s enveloping sphereof air.

Boost phase. Powered flight of a ballisticmissile—i.e., before the rocket burns out.

Burn. The process in which rocketengines consume fuel or other propellant.

Circumterrestrial space. “Inner space” orthe atmospheric region that extends from60 miles to about 50,000 miles fromEarth’s surface.

Constellation. A formation of satellitesorbiting for a specific combined purpose.

Deep space. All space beyond the Earth-moon system, or from about 480,000miles altitude outward.

Eccentric orbit. An extremely elongatedelliptical orbit.

Ecliptic plane. The plane defined by thecircle on the celestial sphere traced by thepath of the sun.

Elliptical orbit. Any noncircular, closedspaceflight path.

Exosphere. The upper limits of Earth’satmosphere, ranging from about 300 milesaltitude to about 2,000 miles altitude.

Expendable Launch Vehicle (ELV). Alaunch vehicle that cannot be reused afterone flight.

Ferret. A satellite whose primary functionis to gather electronic intelligence, such asmicrowave, radar, radio, and voiceemissions.

Geostationary Earth orbit. A geosyn-chronous orbit with 0° inclination in whichthe spacecraft circles Earth 22,300 milesabove the equator and appears from Earthto be standing still.

Geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO). Anorbit at 22,300 miles that is synchronizedwith Earth’s rotation. If a satellite in GEOis not at 0° inclination, its ground pathdescribes a figure eight as it travelsaround Earth.

Geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).An orbit that originates with the parkingorbit and then reaches apogee at theGEO.

Ground track. An imaginary line onEarth’s surface that traces the course ofanother imaginary line between Earth’scenter and an orbiting satellite.

High Earth orbit (HEO). Flight pathabove geosynchronous altitude (22,300 to60,000 miles from Earth’s surface).

High-resolution imagery. Detailedrepresentations of actual objects thatsatellites produce electronically oroptically on displays, film, or other visualdevices.

Inertial upper stage (IUS). A two-stagesolid-rocket motor used to propel heavysatellites into mission orbit.

Ionosphere. A region of electricallycharged thin air layers that begins about30 miles above Earth’s atmosphere.

Low Earth orbit (LEO). Flight pathbetween Earth’s atmosphere and thebottom of the Van Allen belts, i.e., fromabout 60 to 300 miles altitude.

Magnetosphere. A region dominated byEarth’s magnetic field, which trapscharged particles, including those in theVan Allen belts. It begins in the upperatmosphere, where it overlaps theionosphere, and extends several thousandmiles farther into space.

Medium Earth orbit (MEO). Flight pathbetween LEO, which ends at about 300miles altitude, and GEO, which is at anaverage altitude of 22,300 miles.

Space Terms

Mesosphere. A region of the atmosphereabout 30 to 50 miles above Earth’ssurface.

Orbital decay. A condition in whichspacecraft lose orbital altitude and orbitalenergy because of aerodynamic drag andother physical forces.

Orbital inclination. Angle of flight path inspace relative to the equator of aplanetary body. Equatorial paths are 0° forflights headed east, 180° for those headedwest.

Outer space. Space that extends fromabout 50,000 miles above Earth’s surfaceto a distance of about 480,000 miles.

Parking orbit. Flight path in whichspacecraft go into LEO, circle the globe ina waiting posture, and then transferpayload to a final, higher orbit.

Payload. Any spacecraft’s crew or cargo;the mission element supported by thespacecraft.

Perigee. The point of minimum altitudeabove Earth (or the Moon, a planet, etc.)maintained by a body in elliptical orbit.

Period. The amount of time a spacecraftrequires to go through one complete orbit.

Polar orbit. Earth orbit with a 90°inclination. Spacecraft on this path couldpass over every spot on Earth as Earthrotates under the satellite’s orbit (seeorbital inclination).

Remote imaging. Images of Earthgenerated from a spacecraft that providedata for mapping, construction, agricul-ture, oil and gas exploration, news mediaservices, and the like.

Reusable launch vehicle (RLV). Alaunch vehicle that can be reused afterflight.

Rocket. An aerospace vehicle that carriesits own fuel and oxidizer and can operateoutside Earth’s atmosphere.

Semisynchronous orbit. An orbit set atan altitude of 12,834 miles. Satellites inthis orbit revolve around Earth in exactly12 hours.

rendezvous in 20 years. She later wouldbe the first woman to command a shuttlemission, aboard Columbia on July 23,1999.

Feb. 23, 1997. The first Titan IVB launchvehicle lifts off from Launch Complex 40 atCape Canaveral using an IUS. It launchesa DSP satellite.

May 29, 1998. First transfer of anoperational military space system tocivilian agency occurs when Air Force

hands over primary control of the DMSPon-orbit assets to NOAA.

Nov. 1, 2000. For the first time, a singleDelta II rocket, lifting off from Vanden-berg, launches two different primarypayloads.

Jan. 22-26, 2001. AFSPC’s SpaceWarfare Center conducts Schriever 2001,the first wargame to explore requirementsfor space control, counters to enemyspace capabilities, and the ability of an

enemy to deny the US and its allies theuse of space assets.

March 10, 2003. Delta IV boosts into orbita DSCS III satellite, marking the firstlaunch of a military payload aboard anEELV.

April 22, 2003. AFSPC’s 14th Air Forceactivates first-of-its-kind space intelligencesquadron, the 614th SIS, whose missionis to identify and devise means to respondto threats to US space systems.



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Single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) system. Areusable single-stage rocket that can takeoff and land repeatedly and is able toboost payloads into orbit.

Stratosphere. That section of atmosphereabout 10 to 30 miles above Earth’ssurface.

Sun synchronous orbit. An orbitinclined about 98° to the equator and atLEO altitude. At this inclination andaltitude, a satellite’s orbital plane always

maintains the same relative orientation tothe sun.

Thermosphere. The thin atmosphereabout 50 to 300 miles above Earth’ssurface. It experiences dramaticallyincreased levels of heat compared to thelower layers.

Transfer. Any maneuver that changes aspacecraft orbit.

Transponder. A radar or radio set that,

upon receiving a designated signal, emitsa radio signal of its own.

Troposphere. The region of the atmo-sphere from Earth’s surface to about 10miles above the equator and five milesabove the poles. This is where most clouds,wind, rain, and other weather occurs.

Van Allen belts. Zones of intenseradiation trapped in Earth’s magneto-sphere that could damage unshieldedspacecraft.

space open yello rdy 4 pj · launch in the 22-year run of the ius program. the titan iv-ius...

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