Near Field Infrared Experiment
Encyclopedia
The Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE) is a satellite which was proposed and developed by the Missile Defense Agency
, a division of the United States Department of Defense
. It was launched atop a Minotaur rocket, from Wallops Island
, at 06:48 GMT on 24 April 2007. Though primarily designed to gather data on exhaust plumes from rockets, the satellite was also intended to contain a kill vehicle
similar to kinds intended for the Strategic Defense Initiative
. A missile was then to be fired at and nearly miss the instrumented kill vehicle. This feature was later removed.
NFIRE was funded by $44 million in FY2004. In 2004, the United States House of Representatives
instructed the Missile Defense Agency
, MDA, to remove the kill vehicle from the planned 2006 NFIRE launch, approving $68 million in FY2005 subject to that condition.
The Senate Appropriations Committee reviewing the NFIRE program, however, urged the MDA to return the missile defense interceptor (kill vehicle
) to the originally scheduled test, despite the controversial perception of this leading to the deployment of weapons in space. The committee, which approved $13.7 million for the NFIRE program in FY06, told the MDA to “complete development and mission integration of the deployable NFIRE Kill Vehicle.”
The MDA has removed the kill vehicle portion of the planned test, saying it posed a risk of technical failure, and replaced it with a laser communications payload.
Missile Defense Agency
The Missile Defense Agency is the section of the United States government's Department of Defense responsible for developing a layered defense against ballistic missiles. The agency has its origins in the Strategic Defense Initiative, which was established in 1983 and was headed by Lt...
, a division of the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
. It was launched atop a Minotaur rocket, from Wallops Island
Wallops Island
Wallops Island is a island off the east coast of Virginia, part of the barrier islands that stretch along the eastern seaboard of the United States of America.It is located in Accomack County, Virginia...
, at 06:48 GMT on 24 April 2007. Though primarily designed to gather data on exhaust plumes from rockets, the satellite was also intended to contain a kill vehicle
Kill vehicle
Kill vehicle is a term from space weapon development and science fiction which denotes either a kinetic projectile or an explosive warhead supposed to impact on or near a target...
similar to kinds intended for the Strategic Defense Initiative
Strategic Defense Initiative
The Strategic Defense Initiative was proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983 to use ground and space-based systems to protect the United States from attack by strategic nuclear ballistic missiles. The initiative focused on strategic defense rather than the prior strategic...
. A missile was then to be fired at and nearly miss the instrumented kill vehicle. This feature was later removed.
NFIRE was funded by $44 million in FY2004. In 2004, the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
instructed the Missile Defense Agency
Missile Defense Agency
The Missile Defense Agency is the section of the United States government's Department of Defense responsible for developing a layered defense against ballistic missiles. The agency has its origins in the Strategic Defense Initiative, which was established in 1983 and was headed by Lt...
, MDA, to remove the kill vehicle from the planned 2006 NFIRE launch, approving $68 million in FY2005 subject to that condition.
The Senate Appropriations Committee reviewing the NFIRE program, however, urged the MDA to return the missile defense interceptor (kill vehicle
Kill vehicle
Kill vehicle is a term from space weapon development and science fiction which denotes either a kinetic projectile or an explosive warhead supposed to impact on or near a target...
) to the originally scheduled test, despite the controversial perception of this leading to the deployment of weapons in space. The committee, which approved $13.7 million for the NFIRE program in FY06, told the MDA to “complete development and mission integration of the deployable NFIRE Kill Vehicle.”
The MDA has removed the kill vehicle portion of the planned test, saying it posed a risk of technical failure, and replaced it with a laser communications payload.