Basing of first U.S. Space Fence facility announced

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) -- The Air Force will base a Space Fence radar site on Kwajalein Island in the Republic of the Marshall Islands with initial operations capability planned for fiscal 2017.

The Fence will provide a critical Space Surveillance Network capability needed to give warfighters the ability to maintain a full and accurate orbital catalog, ensure orbital safety and perform conjunction assessments.

Air Force Space Command will award a contract to build the radar, which will be capable of detecting, tracking, identifying and characterizing space objects in low and medium earth orbits. Construction is expected to begin September 2013 and is planned to take 48 months to complete construction and testing.

Until the final design is determined, it is unknown exactly how many personnel will be required to construct the radar site. After construction is complete and the radar is operational, approximately 10 to 15 contractor personnel are projected for the long-term work force at Kwajalein to maintain the Space Fence radar. A support agreement will be established between Air Force Space Command and the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll/Reagan Test Site for site support and facilities maintenance. Contractor operations and maintenance support for the radar site will fall under the responsibility of the 21st Space Wing here.

The Space Fence is a radar system operating in the S-Band frequency range to perform uncued detection, tracking, and accurate measurement of orbiting objects in low earth - primary -- and medium earth - secondary -- orbital regimes.

The Space Fence will provide precise positional data on orbiting objects and will be the most accurate radar in the Space Surveillance Network. Space Fence data will be fed to the Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Data from the Space Fence radar will be integrated with other Space Surveillance Network data to provide a comprehensive space situational awareness and integrated space picture.

The Space Fence will provide enhanced space surveillance capabilities to detect and track orbiting objects such as commercial and military satellites and space debris. The Fence will have greater sensitivity, allowing it to detect, track and measure an object the size of a softball orbiting more than 1,200 miles in space. Because it is an uncued tracking system, it will provide evidence of satellite break-ups, collisions or unexpected maneuvers of satellites.

Aussie lasers stop satellite collisions, death

Electro Optic Systems' Mount Stromlo observatory (Credit: Electro Optic Systems)

An Australian company is developing a laser tracking system that will help prevent collisions between satellites and space debris, thanks to a $4 million grant from the Federal Government. Read the rest of the story at http://www.zdnet.com.au/aussie-lasers-stop-satellite-collisions-death-339304574.htm

Russian Space Surveillance Sourcebook Released

Are you interested in the Russian military space surveillance programs?

If so, then you need to download a new set of PDF publications from the FAS website authored by Allen Thomson.

You can learn more about the Okno and Krona systems from the PDF document link that follows: Okno and Krona

And if you are interesting in the Russian Altay Optical Laser Center then click on the link that follows: Altay Optical Center

Pavel Podvig on the Russian strategic nuclear forces blog is reporting the following about a new X-band facility in Russia.

"Another news related to space surveillance facilities is a report about a new X-band radar space monitoring facility that is constructed near Nakhodka in the Far East. According to Vladimir Popovkin, this facility, which is similar to Krona system deployed near Zelenchukskaya, will begin operations in 2008."

Behold the heavenly spies

'Space nut' is one of a small set that uses star charts and scopes to stalk secret orbits of spy satellites

Interesting article on the dean of visual satellite tracker - Ted Molczan in yesterday's Toronto Star at http://www.thestar.com:80/living/Columnist/article/300870.

New antenna begins testing

by Maj. Dean Bellamy
23rd Space Operations Squadron

12/18/2006 - NEW BOSTON AIR FORCE STATION, N.H. (AFPN) -- The 23rd Space Operations Squadron here began operations confidence testing of its newest Air Force Satellite Control Network antenna Dec. 14.

Operational testing will verify the antenna is fully prepared to conduct satellite supports as part of the squadron's 24-hour mission, said station manager Bill Rayfield.

"It's important that we do this testing right so we can get this asset online," said Lt. Col. Stan Stafira, the 23rd SOPS commander.

Passive autotrack tests went exceptionally well, said 1st Lt. Jason Parslow, the chief of the hardware and communication projects for the Space and Missile Systems Center detachment at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., and site Government Program Office lead.

"We're excited to prove our system through operational space vehicle supports," Lieutenant Parslow said.

The testing that began Dec. 14 is the first of four rounds of tests. Phase two will be a second operations confidence test; the third phase will be a segment verification test, and the final phase will comprise integrated system testing.

Installation of the new antenna began July 12, 2004. Construction of the radome housing the antenna was finished Sept. 15, 2005. The radome's primary purpose is to protect the antenna from the environment, keeping maintenance and downtime to a minimum.

The new antenna replaces a 44-year-old antenna that was decommissioned in 2004 due to a bad azimuth bearing. Master Sgt. Mike Norton, a quality assurance evaluator with 23rd SOPS, recalled seeing the original antenna before it was retired.

"Imagine an antenna weighing 119,000 pounds moving 15 degrees per second," Sergeant Norton said. "That was impressive for an antenna built during the early days."

Increasing demand on AFSCN resources took its toll on the antenna, which was originally designed for a 10- to 12-year lifetime.

"We loved that old antenna," said Randy Smith, an ARTS operator. "Taxpayers sure got their money's worth out of it."

While the new antenna was under construction, SMC's Transportable Space Test and Evaluation Resource filled in for the original antenna.