[FPSPACE] USA-193

[Charles Vick]

Alternative Spacecraft Mission Suggested for this USA-193 Spacecraft?

 

Based on US space industry and DOD feed back over the last few weeks the
USA-193 spacecraft was not built by Orbital Sciences Corporation or Boeing
and may not be FIA related. What ever this USA-193 mission is or was it is
certainly some kind of earth observation satellite with some kind of imaging
capability that is strictly managed by NRO and built by Lockheed Martin but
open source evidence analysis wise seems to indicate otherwise. It is
suggested that it is presumably a test R & D spacecraft to do further
development of some kind of new earth observation sensor not necessarily
optical of some variety that produces images that is apparently not a FIA,
RADSAT  radar based system in spite of being placed the common "Frozen
Orbit" for such spacecraft. That is an entirely new separate R & D imaging
spacecraft as a part of a separate NRO program development. Whether this is
an on going or one off attempted program remains undefined. Presumable this
was an out growth the lost FIA contract as a cancellation prize for Lockheed
Martin. 

 

Although the satellite is said to carry about 1,000 kg of hydrazine the
total mass of the spacecraft is no more than in the 5,000 pound range
because of the booster orbital performance characteristics to that orbit
from the West coast. The USA-193 spacecraft is quite small because of the
Delta-2 launch shroud encapsulation volume that limited its dimensions to
less that that of a small SUV not "school bus size" as sensationalized in
the public press. The amount of debris created from the satellites intercept
destruction would be minimal and what is left over will decay in a few days
time based on the understanding of the plans very low earth orbit intercept.
They will have multiple chances to take it down even with the software
modifications required what has had to be in the planning stage for many
months if not a year or more.

 

What is probably driving the destruction of the satellite is the present
administrations decision is the desire to use it for national political
statement to guarantee on going national BMD support as well as a
geopolitical message to China and Iran and Russia for that case. Basically
successful or not the administration can not loose on this effort from their
view point. ASAT capability has been demonstrated in the past so that is not
in play here as has been officially denied.