Orbital Sciences Corporation [NYSE: ORB] successfully launched a medium range target (MRT) vehicle under a direct contract with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA). The MRT vehicle served as an intercept target for the Japanese Navy’s Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) System and was launched on October 28, 2009 from the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) on Kauai, Hawaii. MRT flew a trajectory northwest of Kauai and was intercepted by the Japanese Navy’s
Standard Missile (SM-3) interceptor system before reentering the Earth’s
atmosphere. The MRT was the eighth medium range target Orbital has
launched in support of the Aegis BMD and other test programs and the third
target launched specifically for the Japanese test program.
“We are very pleased to support the Missile Defense Agency and Japanese
Aegis BMD program with another successful target launch, including a
positive hit indication from the new Orbital re-entry vehicle,” said Mr.
Ron Wiley, Senior Vice President of Suborbital Targets Programs. “We look forward to the MRT vehicle with its demonstrated experience providing a solid test platform for future MDA and Aegis BMD engagements.”
Orbital originally developed the MRT multiple-launch-mode target vehicle over a two-year period under contract to the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC), according to specifications that require launch capability from ground, air, or sea. The first flight in April 2005 demonstrated the air-launch mission configuration executed via parachute extraction and descent from an Air Force C-17 cargo aircraft, which is necessary to support Army Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) tests. The air-launch demonstration was followed by four consecutive ground-launch missions for Aegis BMD tests, an air-launch mission in June 2008 for THAAD followed by an additional ground launch mission for Aegis BMD.
Orbital is one of the country’s most experienced developers and operators of missile defense-related launch vehicles. The company supports virtually all of the country’s major missile defense programs with highly-reliable and cost-effective target vehicles. In addition to the Aegis BMD, Orbital’s target vehicles are used to test MDA’s Ground-based Midcourse Defense system (GMD), as well as the U.S. Army’s Patriot PAC-3 and THAAD system. Orbital also produces the “Coyote” ramjet-powered sea-skimming supersonic target vehicle used to test U.S. Navy’s ship self-defense systems.
