Midcourse Space Experiment
The Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) is a Ballistic Missile Defense Organization satellite experiment (unmanned space mission) to map bright infrared sources in space. MSX offered the first system demonstration of technology in space to identify and track ballistic missiles during their midcourse flight phase.[1]
History
On 24 April 1996, the BMDO launched the MSX satellite on a Delta II booster from Vandenberg AFB, California. MSX was placed in a sun-synchronous orbit at 898 km and an inclination of 99.16 degrees. MSX's mission was to gather data in three spectral bands (long wavelength infrared, visible, and ultraviolet). MSX became a contributing sensor to the Space Surveillance Network on 13 May 1998.
Operations
Operational from 1996–1997, MSX mapped the galactic plane and areas either missed or identified as particularly bright by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) at wavelengths of 4.29 µm, 4.35 µm, 8.28 µm, 12.13 µm, 14.65 µm, and 21.3 µm. It carried the 33-cm SPIRIT III infrared telescope with solid hydrogen-cooled five line-scanned infrared focal plane arrays.
Calibration of MSX posed a challenge for designers of the experiment, as baselines did not exist for the bands it would be observing under. Engineers solved the problem by having MSX fire projectiles of known composition in front of the detector, and calibrating the instruments to the known black-body curves of the objects. The MSX calibration serves as the basis for other satellites working in the same wavelength range, currently including AKARI and the Spitzer Space Telescope.
MSX data is currently available in the Infrared Science Archive (IRSA) provided by NASA's Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC).
References
- ^ Williams, Frank. "Space-Based Surveillance Operations Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration," Space Tactics Bulletin, Vol 6, Issue 4
External links
|
|
Current |
|
|
Planned |
|
|
Proposals |
|
|
Completed |
|
|
Lost |
|
|
Completed |
- hibernating after mission: SWAS (1998-2005)
- TRACE (1998-2010)
- WISE (2009-2011)
|
|
On hiatus |
|
|
Old plans |
|
|
See also |
|
|
|
|
|
|
STS-72 (SPARTAN-206) | PAS-3R · MEASAT-1 | Koreasat 2 | Kosmos 2327 | Gorizont #43L | Palapa C1 | N-Star B | Intelsat 708 | NEAR Shoemaker | Kosmos 2328 · Kosmos 2329 · Kosmos 2330 · Gonets-D1 #1 · Gonets-D1 #2 · Gonets-D1 #3 | Gran' #44L | Soyuz TM-23 | STS-75 (TSS-1R) | Polar | REX II | Intelsat 707 | Kosmos 2331 | IRS-P3 | STS-76 | USA-117 | Inmarsat-3 F1 | Astra 1F | MSAT-1 | Priroda | MSX | Kosmos 2332 | USA-118 | BeppoSAX | Progress M-31 | USA-119 · USA-120 · USA-121 · USA-122 · USA-123 · USA-124 | Kometa #18 | Palapa C2 · Amos-1 | MSTI-3 | STS-77 (SPARTAN-207 · IAE · PAMS-STU) | Galaxy 9 | Gorizont #44L | Cluster F1 · Cluster F2 · Cluster F3 · Cluster F4 | Intelsat 709 | STS-78 | Kobal't | TOMS-EP | USA-125 | Apstar 1A | Arabsat 2A · Turksat 1C | USA-126 | USA-127 | Progress M-32 | Télécom 2D · Italsat 2 | Molniya 1-79 | Midori · Fuji 2 | Soyuz TM-24 | Chinasat-7 | FAST | Interbol 2 · Maigon 5 · Victor | Kosmos 2333 | Kosmos 2334 · UNAMSAT-2 | Inmarsat-3 F2 | GE-1 | EchoStar II | USA-128 | STS-79 | Ekspress-6 | FSW-17 | Molniya 3-62 | HETE · SAC-B | Mars Global Surveyor | Arabsat 2B · MEASAT-2 | Mars 96 | STS-80 ( WSF · ORFEUS-SPAS) | Progress M-33 | Hot Bird 2 | Mars Pathfinder ( Sojourner) | Kosmos 2335 | Inmarsat-3 F3 | Kosmos 2336 | USA-129 | Bion #11
|
|
Payloads are separated by bullets ( · ), launches by pipes ( | ). Manned flights are indicated in bold text. Uncatalogued launch failures are listed in italics. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are denoted in brackets.
|
|