And The Robert J. Collier Award Goes To… SBIRS / SMC

The U.S. Air Force nominated the Space Based Infrared Systems (SBIRS) Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO) Development, Test and On-orbit Operations Team for the 2007 Robert J. Collier Trophy. The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) awards the Collier Trophy annually for “the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America with respect to improving the performance, efficiency and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year.” The historic prize is generally regarded as the most prestigious award in aerospace. Past winners include Orville Wright, the crew of Apollo 11, and development teams behind the Global Positioning System (GPS), F-117 Stealth fighter and F-22 Raptor. The original trophy is on permanent display in the National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C.

“This team has epitomized the tenets of this award for the past several years,” said Michael W. Wynne, Secretary of the Air Force. “Culminating in 2007 with the successful on-orbit test, system characterization, and initial operation of the new system. The performance of SBIRS HEO is eye-watering. We are seeing more targets at much lower intensities than the predecessor system, and realizing new applications in new mission areas. The HEO payload’s impact in defining and enriching these space mission areas is extremely promising.”

The SBIRS program is a development of Air Force Space Command‘s Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) located at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California the U.S. Air Force’s center of acquisition excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems. SBIRS HEO is designed to use advanced space sensors and ground systems to provide infrared (heat signature) information from space. SBIRS will replace the legacy Defense Support Program (DSP) to deliver revolutionary improvements in missile warning, missile defense, technical intelligence and battlespace characterization for warfighters and the Intelligence Community. Industry partners include the Aerospace Corporation, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. The Air Force announced the first HEO payload on-orbit in November 2006. The extraordinary efforts of the team enabled the SBIRS Wing to successfully transition operations of the first HEO payload to the 11th Space Warning Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado in November 2007—Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo, California