
STSS
Doug Young, vice president of missile defense and missile warning programs for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector, said, "This test demonstrated the ability of STSS to track cold-body objects post-boost, an important capability needed by the Missile Defense Agency for the Ballistic Missile Defense System." Earlier in September, STSS successfully autonomously acquired and tracked a threat representative short range ballistic missile that was launched during an MDA test involving the Airborne Laser Test Bed. The MDA is pursuing the STSS Demonstration program as a space-based sensor component of the BMDS. The satellites are demonstrating the ability of space sensors to provide high-precision, real-time tracking of missiles and midcourse objects, enabling simultaneous theatre, regional, and strategic missile defense. Data from STSS testing is validating the ability to acquire and track missiles in all phases of flight, to close the fire control loop with BMDS interceptors from space and supporting the development of a future operational missile defense satellite constellation.