[Launch Alert] White Sands Surprise

Sun Jul 16 14:55:05 EDT 2006

                             LAUNCH ALERT

			            Brian Webb
		         Ventura County, California
		        E-mail: kd6nrp at earthlink.net
	         Web Site: http://www.spacearchive.info

				               2006 July 16 (Sunday) 11:54 PDT
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                        WHITE SANDS SURPRISE

Chris Wagner of Queen Creek, Arizona went outside last Wednesday
morning (July 12) to feed his animals and noticed an unusual trail in
the sky. Chris snapped a photo and was kind enough to share it with
me.

It turns out that Chris had photographed the exhaust trail from one
or more missiles launched as part of a missile defense test at White
Sands Missile range in New Mexico, some 300 miles away.

The image is the first-ever that I've received from a skywatcher of a
White Sands launch. Wagner's interesting photo is posted at
www.spacearchive.info under the title "White Sands Surprise".

For more information on the missile defense test, refer to the Missile
Defense Agency reprinted below.

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           SUCCESSFUL TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENSE
                      INTERCEPT FLIGHT ACHIEVED

                 Missile Defense Agenct News Release
                            2006 July 12

Air Force Lieutenant General Henry "Trey" Obering, Missile Defense
Agency Director, announced that a successful test for the Terminal
High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Element was conducted today at
approximately 5:20 a.m. MDT (7:20 a.m. EDT) at the White Sands Missile
Range, New Mexico.

Initial indications are that all planned flight test objectives were
achieved. This was a fully-integrated flight test of all THAAD
Components, including the Launcher, Radar, Fire Control and
Communications, and Interceptor. The primary objective was to
demonstrate interceptor seeker characterization of a ballistic missile
target in the high-endoatmosphere (just inside the earth’s atmosphere).
A unitary (non-separating) Hera target missile was launched for the
test and although it was not a primary objective, a successful
intercept of the target occurred. Other objectives included verifying
integrated system operations in a high-endoatmospheric engagement and
demonstrating the interceptor's kill vehicle’s response to in-flight
communication and its ability to acquire and track an incoming
ballistic missile target. The THAAD radar participated by acquiring
and tracking the interceptor and target and providing in-flight target
updates.

THAAD soldiers from the 6th Air Defense Artillery Brigade participated
in this test with two soldiers conducting radar operations, two
soldiers assisting contractors at the Launcher, and one soldier
assisting contractors at the THAAD Fire Control and Communications.
Their interaction with the complete THAAD system proved a valuable
test experience for the soldiers, and provided insight into overall
system performance.

While the previous two THAAD flight tests, also conducted at White
Sands Missile Range, were focused on interceptor fly-out and
performance, the remaining flight test program is providing
verification of the integrated THAAD element at increasingly difficult
levels.

THAAD uses technologies developed in earlier Missile Defense Agency
programs and during the THAAD Program Development and Risk Reduction
Phase. It is the first weapon system with both endo- and
exoatmospheric (outside earth's atmosphere) capability developed
specifically to defend against ballistic missiles. The THAAD element
will provide upper-tier defense in the terminal phase segment
(approximately final minute of a missile’s flight) of MDA’s integrated
Ballistic Missile Defense System (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. THAAD is a highly-mobile,
integrated weapon system consisting of a Radar, Fire Unit, Launchers,
and Interceptors.

The THAAD Program is managed by the Missile Defense Agency in
Washington, DC, and executed by the THAAD Project Office in
Huntsville, Ala. Lockheed Martin Corporation is the prime contractor.

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