Col Rich White

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Col Rich White Commander Kirtland AFB,
NM richard.white_at_kirtland.af.mil
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Chain of Command
SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
AIR FORCE CHIEF OF STAFF
AF SPACE COMMAND
SPACE MISSILE SYSTEMS CENTER
SMC DETACHMENT 12
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Det 12 Has 3 Programs
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Rocket Launch From a C-17
Purpose

• Targets for Missile Defense Agency intercept

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STP Spaceflight Methods

• Shuttle/ISS
• Piggybacks on existing spacecraft or an existing
  rocket
• Dedicated rocket

170 flights, 437 experiments 1967 to present
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CORIOLIS Sensor Data
SMEI observation of the sun. This picture
appears in the Jul 04 issue of National Geographic
WINDSAT observation of Hurricane Isabel, Sep 03
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Why Det 12? To Reduce Risk!
Operational System
Warfighter Needs

• 100Ms - 1Bs
• Traditional SPOs

• Technology Needs
• System Deficiencies
• Doctrine

• 100Ks - 10Ms
• RSLP, STP, RDSMO
• CONOPS
• Tactics, Techniques, Procedures

• NRL
• AFRL
• MDA
• DARPA

Technology Development
Test Evaluation
Testing includes demos, not just operational
systems
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Space Test Comments

• Robust test demo program worth every cent
• 476M total FY06 cuts to SMC programs proposed by
  Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee due to
  immature technology
• Space Test Program indigenous budget is 44M per
  year
• Satellites expected to last 10 years with no
  physical maintenance in harsh radiation vacuum
  environment
• Interface standards offer hope of increased
  reliability cost reduction
• Not a standard bus but rather standard
  interfaces
• One option is to institutionally require space
  incremental demo testing

Lives depend on systems that work!
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Follow test procedures Dont let this happen to
you
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Questions ?