[AZ-Observing] WHITE SANDS LAUNCH ANNOUNCED
- From: Christopher Watson <skygx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 06 Sep 2006 21:33:33 -0700
Hey, this sounds like it could be something interesting for you AZ
folk. I'm sure some of you have already received this notice.
-Christopher
WHITE SANDS LAUNCH ANNOUNCED
The U.S. Army announced today that a test of the Terminal High
Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is scheduled for the morning of
Saturday, September 9 from New Mexico's White Sands Missile Range
(WSMR).
The test will involve the launch of a Hera target and a THAAD missile
sometime between 04:00 and 06:00 MDT. If the exercise occurs during
morning twilight, residents of New Mexico, west Texas, Arizona, and
northern Mexico may see an interesting light show as the exhaust of
one or both missiles is illuminated by sunlight at high altitude.
This fourth in a series of five tests planned at WSMR will be a fully
integrated flight test of all THAAD components. THAAD is currently in its
development phase and will be an element of the multi-layered
Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), managed by the Missile
Defense Agency (MDA).
THAAD uses technologies developed in earlier MDA programs and during
the THAAD Program Development and Risk Reduction Phase. It is the
first weapon system with both endo- and exo-atmospheric capability
developed specifically to defend against ballistic missiles. The THAAD
element will provide upper-tier defense in the terminal segment of
MDA's BMDS. The BMDS is capable of providing a layered defense for the
U.S., deployed forces, friends and allies against ballistic missiles
of all ranges in all phases of flight. The higher altitude and
theater-wide protection offered by THAAD provides more protection of
larger areas than lower-tier systems alone. THAAD is designed to
defend against short, medium, and intermediate range ballistic
missiles.
The THAAD Program is managed by the Missile Defense Agency in
Washington, D.C., and executed by the THAAD Project Office in
Huntsville, Ala. Lockheed Martin Corporation is the prime contractor.
For advice on photographing missile launches, go to
www.spacearchive.info/vafbphoto.htm
The above item was written by the editor using information from a
White Sands Missile Range news release.
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