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given off by the exhaust contrasts against the infrared emitted off the surface of earth, which must be filtered through the water vapor in the atmosphere. After focusing the light onto hundreds of infrared detectors, the satellite sends the location of the missile launch back to earth - alerting of a potential missile attack.
137:
The missile - now without hot exhaust behind it - is rendered invisible to the early warning satellite, making the relatively short first phases of an ICBM a crucial moment for detection. Because the window for detection is small, multiple satellites are necessary for complete coverage of Earth.
133:
Early warning satellites primarily work through the detection of infrared radiation. For the detection of ICBMs, this is only possible during the initial phases after a launch. The missile emits a large cloud of hot exhaust as it ascends to the desired altitude. After this stage, detection of the
141:
In orbit, the satellites are able to detect an ICBM launch through earth's background infrared radiation due to specific properties in how the water vapor absorbs infrared radiation. Once the missile has passed through the water-rich lower layers of the atmosphere, the specific infrared spectrum
951:
128:
intercontinental ballistic missile: the propulsion allows detection by an early warning satellite during phases 2, 3 and 4 corresponding to the operation of the 3 stages of the missile (A, B and C). This missile rises to between 100 and 200 km in altitude (diagram not to
296:
carried out preliminary tests for the development of an early warning satellite. Infrared sensors were tested on two small experimental SPIRALE satellites launched in 2009. However, an operational satellite was not expected to be launched before the end of 2020.
259:, which consisted of a false nuclear launch warning after a confusion between the heat caused by the reflection of solar radiation in clouds and that released by the launch of a nuclear missile.
262:
Unlike their US counterparts, the US-K and US-KS only detect surface-to-surface ballistic missile launches, due to less sophisticated electronics. Later, the US-KS were replaced by the
193:
satellites were launched between 1960 and 1966, and although they never entered a truly operational phase, they allowed the development of this type of satellite.
163:
269:
In the early 1990s, after about ten years of operation, the coverage provided by these satellites was only partial, due to a reduction in the launch rate.
272:
In 2014, the last 3 US-type satellites in service ceased their activities. They have been replaced starting in 2015 by a new generation of satellites:
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missile is difficult. The thrusters are turned off and the missile separates from previous stages, now carried to its target through momentum alone.
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1600:
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launches and thus enable defensive military action. This type of satellite was developed during the Cold War and later became a component of
46:
266:, capable of detecting sea-to-land ballistic missile launches as well. The first of them would be placed in geostationary orbit in 1991.
68:
1184:
721:
Geostationary satellites (SBIRS-GEO), satellites in low orbit (SBIRS-LEO), and sensors on
Trumpet satellites in Molniya orbit
201:
took over in the early 1970s. Several generations of increasingly efficient DSP satellites followed one another until 2007.
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The United States was the first country to attempt to establish a space-based early warning system. The goal was to detect
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launches and give 20 to 33 minutes notice of the missile's arrival (against 10 to 25 minutes for the
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In 1983, a design error in the on-board software of the US-KS satellites led to the so-called
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911:
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106:
1069:"The Russian Federation's Approach to Military Space and Its Military Space Capabilities"
120:
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between 1972 and 2010 and 7 US-KS satellites, of a very similar design, were placed in
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system, which includes dedicated satellites in geostationary orbit (SBIRS-GEO) and in
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The United States, Russia and China have a constellation of early warning satellites.
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The
Rebirth of the Russian Space Program - 50 Years After Sputnik, New Frontiers
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1001:"MISSILE DEFENSE ALARM: THE GENESIS OF SPACE-BASED INFRARED EARLY WARNING"
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1160:(in French). Optronique & Défense. 29 October 2010. Archived from
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between 1975 and 1997, the system becoming operational in 1980.
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early warning satellites. 86 US-K satellites were placed in a
237:
18:
1192:
Space
Chronicle: A British Interplanetary Society Publication
216:
satellites for mixed use (wiretapping/warning) located in a
1183:
Clark, Phillip S. (January 2018). Becklake, John (ed.).
1185:"China's Shiyan Weixing Satellite Programme: 2004–2017"
1382:"DSP 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 (Phase 3)"
810:
Almost identical to the US-K, replaced by the US-KMO
1566:"RTS-1 1, 2, 3 (MIDAS-RTS-1 1, 2, 3 / AFP-461)"
1133:"Soyuz launches a missile-detection satellite"
204:Since 2011 the DSPs have been replaced by the
8:
159:Artist's rendering of a SBIRS-GEO satellite.
453:First generation; experimental; 4 versions
171:rocket launch by a SBIRS satellite in 2008.
1595:(in French). Paris: Vuibert. p. 232.
315:
212:(SBIRS-LEO), as well as sensors on board
69:Learn how and when to remove this message
154:
32:This article includes a list of general
976:"Enhanced Space-Based Missile Tracking"
943:
124:Example of the firing sequence of the
1110:. Springer-Praxis. pp. 132–136.
240:program were the first generation of
16:Ballistic missile detection satellite
7:
1428:"DSP 8, 9, 10, 11 (Phase 2 MOS/PIM)"
1021:Dr. Geoffrey Forden (11 June 2001).
952:"Defense Support Program Satellites"
1078:: 1–43. Honkova2013. Archived from
38:it lacks sufficient corresponding
14:
1023:"False Alarms in the Nuclear Age"
1520:"MIDAS 3, 4, 5 (MIDAS Series 2)"
1131:Zak, Anatoly (2 November 2022).
1046:Russian strategic nuclear forces
294:Direction générale de l'Armement
23:
980:Air & Space Forces Magazine
236:satellites developed under the
1405:"DSP 12, 13 (Phase 2 Upgrade)"
1:
1497:"MIDAS 1, 2 (MIDAS Series 1)"
186:ground-based radar network).
101:designed to rapidly identify
1336:"SBIRS-GEO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6"
1076:George C. Marshall Institute
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304:series satellites under the
999:Hall, Cargill (July 1998).
391:Launches number / failures
85:Artist's rendering of a US
1646:
1474:"DSP 1, 2, 3, 4 (Phase 1)"
447:from some weeks to 1 year
956:United States Space Force
699:1000 kg (SBIRS-LOW)
694:4500 kg (SBIRS-GEO)
408:
405:
402:
399:
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1591:Jacques Villain (2010).
659:To be replaced by SBIRS
1451:"DSP 5, 6, 7 (Phase 2)"
917:Militarisation of space
224:Soviet Union and Russia
95:early warning satellite
53:more precise citations.
1067:Honkova, Jana (2013).
927:Space domain awareness
172:
160:
130:
90:
1568:. Gunter's space page
1545:. Gunter's space page
1522:. Gunter's space page
1499:. Gunter's space page
1476:. Gunter's space page
1453:. Gunter's space page
1430:. Gunter's space page
1407:. Gunter's space page
1384:. Gunter's space page
1361:. Gunter's space page
1359:"Trumpet-F/O-2' 1, 2"
1338:. Gunter's space page
1315:. Gunter's space page
1292:. Gunter's space page
1269:. Gunter's space page
1246:. Gunter's space page
1223:. Gunter's space page
1104:Brian Harvey (2007).
715:12 years (SBIRS-GEO)
257:fall equinox incident
166:
158:
123:
84:
1010:– via nro.gov.
306:Tongxin Jishu Shiyan
276:, formerly known as
89:phase III satellite.
1625:Military satellites
1620:Infrared technology
1564:Gunter Dirk Krebs.
1541:Gunter Dirk Krebs.
1518:Gunter Dirk Krebs.
1495:Gunter Dirk Krebs.
1472:Gunter Dirk Krebs.
1449:Gunter Dirk Krebs.
1426:Gunter Dirk Krebs.
1403:Gunter Dirk Krebs.
1380:Gunter Dirk Krebs.
1357:Gunter Dirk Krebs.
1334:Gunter Dirk Krebs.
1311:Gunter Dirk Krebs.
1288:Gunter Dirk Krebs.
1265:Gunter Dirk Krebs.
1242:Gunter Dirk Krebs.
1219:Gunter Dirk Krebs.
1164:on 31 December 2014
1085:on 31 December 2014
845:Geostationary orbit
800:Geostationary orbit
703:Geostationary orbit
649:Geostationary orbit
608:Geostationary orbit
567:Geostationary orbit
548:(phase II MOS/PIM)
526:Geostationary orbit
485:Geostationary orbit
378:
250:geostationary orbit
199:geostationary orbit
1593:Satellites espions
1543:"MIDAS 6, 7, 8, 9"
1048:. 11 February 2015
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1602:978-2-7117-2498-7
1290:"Tundra (14F142)"
1205:978-0-9567382-2-6
1198:(1). London: 23.
1117:978-0-387-71354-0
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317:References:
180:ballistic missile
167:Observation of a
103:ballistic missile
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855:Replaced by EKS
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49:this article by
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1244:"US-KS (74Kh6)"
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1042:"Early warning"
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642:-IVD Transtage
601:-IVD Transtage
443:Low Earth orbit
439:2 tons approx.
314:
308:(TJS) program.
300:China operates
286:
284:Other countries
226:
210:low Earth orbit
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107:missile defense
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45:Please help to
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1158:"PEA SPRIRALE"
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656:¿Operational?
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589:(phase II v2)
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1221:"US-K (73D6)"
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841:2600 kg
838:-K/Bloc-DM-2
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755:Molniya orbit
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751:2400 kg
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712:
711:Molniya orbit
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690:
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671:
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665:United States
663:
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658:
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645:2386 kg
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623:United States
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604:1674 kg
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563:1170 kg
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541:United States
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1585:Bibliography
1570:. Retrieved
1559:
1547:. Retrieved
1536:
1524:. Retrieved
1513:
1501:. Retrieved
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1478:. Retrieved
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1455:. Retrieved
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1432:. Retrieved
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1409:. Retrieved
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1386:. Retrieved
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1363:. Retrieved
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1340:. Retrieved
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1317:. Retrieved
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1294:. Retrieved
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1271:. Retrieved
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1248:. Retrieved
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1225:. Retrieved
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1166:. Retrieved
1162:the original
1152:
1140:. Retrieved
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1099:
1087:. Retrieved
1080:the original
1075:
1062:
1050:. Retrieved
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1016:
1007:
994:
983:. Retrieved
979:
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959:. Retrieved
955:
946:
897:Operational
718:Operational
630:(phase III)
481:907 kg
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1572:31 December
1549:31 December
1526:31 December
1503:31 December
1480:31 December
1457:31 December
1434:31 December
1411:31 December
1388:31 December
1365:31 December
1342:31 December
1319:31 December
1313:"STSS 1, 2"
1296:31 December
1273:31 December
1250:31 December
1227:31 December
1008:NRO History
922:Space force
793:-K/Bloc-DM
507:(phase II)
489:1,25 years
373:
369:
365:
361:
357:
353:
349:
345:
341:
337:
333:
329:
325:
321:
116:Description
59:August 2022
51:introducing
1630:Satellites
1614:Categories
1142:2 November
985:2024-07-29
961:2024-07-29
938:References
849:5–7 years
829:1991-2012
784:1975-1997
740:1972-2010
691:-4M+(4,2)
653:¿3 years?
633:1989-2007
592:1954-1987
551:1979-1984
510:1975-1977
469:1970-1973
466:(phase I)
424:1960-1966
34:references
1168:23 August
1052:25 August
409:Comments
403:Lifespan
394:Launcher
109:systems.
99:satellite
906:See also
852:Retired
807:Retired
762:Retired
689:Delta IV
615:Retired
612:3 years
574:Retired
571:3 years
533:Retired
530:2 years
492:Retired
450:Retired
382:Country
302:Huoyan-1
169:Delta II
146:Programs
1089:16 June
804:1 year
759:1 year
747:Molniya
683:401 or
681:Atlas V
406:Status
385:Series
214:Trumpet
129:scale).
47:improve
1599:
1202:
1114:
881:Fregat
879:-2.1b/
870:2015-
861:Russia
836:Proton
825:US-KMO
820:Russia
791:Proton
775:Russia
731:Russia
674:2011-
400:Orbit
377:
375:·
371:·
367:·
363:·
359:·
355:·
351:·
347:·
343:·
339:·
335:·
331:·
327:·
323:·
319:·
292:, the
290:France
278:Tundra
264:US-KMO
242:Soviet
177:Soviet
36:, but
1188:(PDF)
1083:(PDF)
1072:(PDF)
1004:(PDF)
877:Soyuz
780:US-KS
743:86/3
677:12/0
670:SBIRS
640:Titan
636:10/1
599:Titan
558:Titan
517:Titan
476:Titan
435:Agena
431:Atlas
427:12/4
420:MIDAS
397:Mass
234:US-KS
206:SBIRS
191:MIDAS
184:BMEWS
97:is a
1597:ISBN
1574:2014
1551:2014
1528:2014
1505:2014
1482:2014
1459:2014
1436:2014
1413:2014
1390:2014
1367:2014
1344:2014
1321:2014
1298:2014
1275:2014
1252:2014
1229:2014
1200:ISBN
1170:2022
1144:2022
1112:ISBN
1091:2022
1054:2015
873:6/0
832:8/0
816:USSR
787:7/0
771:USSR
736:US-K
727:USSR
595:2/0
560:-3C
554:4/0
519:-3C
513:3/0
478:-3C
472:4/1
232:and
230:US-K
228:The
189:The
1027:PBS
883:-M
866:EKS
628:DSP
587:DSP
546:DSP
505:DSP
464:DSP
288:In
274:EKS
238:Oko
195:DSP
93:An
87:DSP
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