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DSP
USA 159
USA 159
Credit: Manufacturer Image
American military early warning satellite. An evolving series of satellites built by the United States to detect intercontinental ballistic missiles on launch. Early Warning satellite built by TRW for USAF, USA. Launched 1970 - 1973.

AKA: Defense Support Program;IMEWS;Integrated Missile Early Warning Satellites. Status: Operational 1970. First Launch: 1970-11-06. Last Launch: 2007-11-11. Number: 23 . Gross mass: 2,358 kg (5,198 lb). Height: 10.00 m (32.00 ft).

After forty years of service, they had grown from 900 kg to 2380 kg in mass, and gone from being capable of detecting ICBM launches to detecting and tracking tactical ballistic missiles, but followed the same operating principle and layout.

The Defense Support Program (DSP) constellation consisted of four spacecraft spaced around the earth in geosynchronous orbit plus one in-orbit spare that could be repositioned as needed. These spacecraft were initially designed to provide warning-at-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile attack by the Soviet Union. This would provide additional minutes of warning compared to early warning radars, that could only detect missiles as they came 'over the horizon' and were easily disabled in the first stage of an attack. It also eliminated the advantage of the Soviet's fractional orbital bombing system R-36-O missiles, which placed warheads in orbit, allowing them to come 'under the radar' or from approach angles not covered by the early warning radars. It also provided warning of submarine-launched missiles, which could be launched from locations with inadequate radar coverage.

Such attacks never materialized, although the DSP's may have contributed to the Soviet decision to sharply limit R-36-O deployment to token levels. However the DSP's instead provided intelligence on nearly every medium- and long-range ballistic missile launch since being put in service, including the hundreds of Scud launches during the Iran-Iraq 'War of the Cities' in 1985-1986. They proved able to detect static tests of rocket engines on the earth's surface, as well as the exhaust plumes of military aircraft in afterburner. During America's long involvement with Iraq, they provided early warning of tactical ballistic missile launches against American or Allied targets, allowing shelter to be taken and Patriot missile defenses to be readied for the incoming missiles. When Chinese ballistic missile testing surged to a rate of one per week in 2006-2007, DSP was able to keep track of the activity.

Each satellite spent a month after launch in positioning, test, and systems initialization and calibration before being handed over to the USAF operational command. DSP's were controlled by the USAF from Falcon (later Schriever) AFB near Colorado Springs until 2007, when control transitioned to the new SBIRS Control Station in Aurora, Colorado.

The spacecraft were designed for a 3-5 year operational life, but this was extended to 10 to 15 years through careful fuel, power, and infrared temperature management techniques. The result was that by 2006 as many as 10 DSP's were still functioning, allowing two or three satellites to observe a single launch. This allowed for stereo views of launches and better plume characterization. The only DSP satellite to fail in service completely was DSP-19, which had a hydrazine propellant line rupture. But his spacecraft had endured extraordinary stresses during ascent aboard a malfunctioning IUS upper stage, which left it stranded in geosynchronous transfer orbit. Even this satellite proved useful. Since it transited the van Allen radiation belts twice daily, it allowed the USAF to assess the effect of an extreme radiation environment on DSP electronics.

As of 2007 it was planned that the new SBIRS satellite constellation would take over the prime missile warning function from DSP by the end of 2012. However the DSP's would be kept in service as back-ups and gap-fillers, with the belief that DSP-22 and -23 would remain in service until 2017-2022.

DSP satellites were built in a series of models of ever-increasing sophistication, weight, and capability:

The late-model DSP's were equipped with a 6,000 detector mercury cadmium telluride array fed from a medium-infrared wavelength telescope which rotated at 6 rpm at an offset angle for geolocation of launches. Some of the high-resolution detectors were designed for characterizing rocket plumes against the background of deep space, while most were designed to discriminate the rocket against the background of the earth's land masses, clouds, and water. A dual color, second 4.2-micron wave-band capability could be used if the detector was being jammed by a laser in its primary wavelength.

All DSP's were equipped with dual radiation detectors designed to detect neutrons, gamma-, and x-rays produced by nuclear explosions in the atmosphere or space. These replaced the separate Vela satellites launched in the sixties. Beginning with DSP-23, these were supplemented by a 24-kg Space Atmosphere Burst Reporting System (SABRS), which would be used on the SBIRS-GEO satellites that would replace DSP.

It had been planned in the 1980's to equip the DSP's with a laser data cross-link produced by McDonnell-Douglas. This however was cancelled after its development cost ran vastly over budget.

Electric System: 1.30 average kW.


More at: DSP.

Subtopics

DSP 5, 6, 7 (Phase 2) Early Warning satellite built by TRW for USAF, USA. Launched 1975 - 1977.

DSP 8, 9, 10, 11 (Phase 2 MOS/PIM) Null

DSP 12, 13 (Phase 2 Upgrade) Early Warning satellite built by TRW for USAF, USA. Launched 1984 - 1987.

DSP 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 (Phase 3) Early Warning satellite built by TRW => Northrop Grumman for USAF, USA. Launched 1989 - 2007.

Family: Early Warning, Geosynchronous orbit, Military early warning sat, Surveillance. Country: USA. Launch Vehicles: Titan, Titan IIIC, Space Shuttle, Titan 34D, Titan 34D/Transtage, Titan 4, Titan 402A/IUS, Titan 4B, Titan 402B/IUS, Delta IV, Delta 4H. Launch Sites: Cape Canaveral, Cape Canaveral LC37B, Cape Canaveral LC40, Cape Canaveral LC41, Cape Canaveral LC39A. Agency: USAF, TRW. Bibliography: 127, 2, 296, 4, 4476, 552, 554, 6, 4802, 4803, 4804, 10993, 12260, 12261, 12262, 12263, 12264.
Photo Gallery

USA 28USA 28
Credit: Manufacturer Image


DSP 1DSP 1
Credit: Manufacturer Image


DSP 5DSP 5
Credit: Manufacturer Image


DSP 8DSP 8
Credit: Manufacturer Image



1970 November 6 - . 10:35 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIC. FAILURE: Partial Failure.. Failed Stage: U.
1971 May 5 - . 07:43 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIC.
1972 March 1 - . 09:39 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIC.
1973 June 12 - . 07:14 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIC.
1974 December 20 - .
1975 July 22 - .
1975 December 14 - . 05:15 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIC.
1976 June 26 - . 03:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIC.
1976 Nov - .
1976 Dec - .
1977 February 6 - . 06:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIC.
1977 Apr - .
1979 March 27 - .
1979 June 10 - . 13:39 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIC.
1979 August 16 - .
1981 March 16 - . 19:24 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIC.
1982 March 6 - . 19:25 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan IIIC.
1984 April 14 - . 16:52 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 34D/Transtage.
1984 December 22 - . 00:02 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 34D/Transtage.
1987 November 29 - . 03:28 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 34D/Transtage.
1989 June 14 - . 13:18 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC41. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 402A/IUS.
1990 November 13 - . 00:37 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC41. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 402A/IUS.
1991 November 24 - . 23:44 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC39A. Launch Platform: MLP1. LV Family: Shuttle. Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle.
1994 December 22 - . 22:19 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 402A/IUS.
1997 February 23 - . 20:20 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 402B/IUS.
1999 April 9 - . 17:01 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC41. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 402B/IUS. FAILURE: IUS first and second stages failed to separate.. Failed Stage: U.
2000 May 8 - . 16:01 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 402B/IUS.
2001 August 6 - . 07:28 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. Launch Pad: SLC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 402B/IUS.
2004 February 14 - . 18:50 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC40. Launch Pad: SLC40. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan 402B/IUS.
2007 November 11 - . 01:50 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC37B. Launch Pad: SLC37B. LV Family: Delta IV. Launch Vehicle: Delta 4H.

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