USA-231
Encyclopedia
USA-231, formerly ORS-1 (Operationally Responsive Space) is an American
reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 2011 from NASA
’s Wallops Flight Facility
, Virginia
by a Minotaur I
launch vehicle. It is the first operational satellite of the Operationally Responsive Space Office
. It is equipped with a Senior Year Electro-Optical Reconnaissance System (SYERS) 2A.
ORS-1 satellite is designed to provide orbital space imagery of Southwest Asia
and to enhance battlespace awareness to operational field commanders. The ORS-1 will undergo a 30-day trial and adjustment check before the ORS Office turns over it operations to USAF’s 1st Space Operations Squadron
at Schriever AFB, Colorado
.
CCD sensors to compensate for ground motion, resulting in a resolution of 1m (NIIRS
4) from a nominal 300 km orbit. SYERS 2 is supplied by the Goodrich Corporation
.
SYERS previous version has also been used with the Lockheed U-2
reconnaissance aircraft
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 2011 from NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
’s Wallops Flight Facility
Wallops Flight Facility
Wallops Flight Facility , located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, is operated by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, primarily as a rocket launch site to support science and exploration missions for NASA and other U.S. government agencies...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
by a Minotaur I
Minotaur I
The Minotaur I, or just Minotaur is an American expendable launch system derived from the Minuteman II missile. It is used to launch small satellites for the US Government, and is a member of the Minotaur family of rockets produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation.Minotaur I rockets consist of the...
launch vehicle. It is the first operational satellite of the Operationally Responsive Space Office
Operationally Responsive Space Office
The Operationally Responsive Space Office is a joint initiative of several agencies within the United States Department of Defense . The "stand up" of the office took place 2007-05-21 at Kirtland Air Force Base. The first director of the ORS Office is Col. Kevin McLaughlin, who is also commander...
. It is equipped with a Senior Year Electro-Optical Reconnaissance System (SYERS) 2A.
ORS-1 satellite is designed to provide orbital space imagery of Southwest Asia
Southwest Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
and to enhance battlespace awareness to operational field commanders. The ORS-1 will undergo a 30-day trial and adjustment check before the ORS Office turns over it operations to USAF’s 1st Space Operations Squadron
1st Space Operations Squadron
The United States Air Force's 1st Space Operations Squadron is a space operations unit located at Schriever AFB, Colorado. The squadron is also responsible for performance launch, on-orbit, emergency, end-of-life testing and disposal operations providing warning, navigation, R&D, surveillance...
at Schriever AFB, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
SYERS functions
SYERS 2 is a optical and infrared camera with a 40 cm aperature and a field of view larger than 2 degree. It uses Time Delay and IntegrationTime Delay and Integration
A time delay and integration charge-coupled device is widely used for observation of high speed moving objects undetectable by classic CCD...
CCD sensors to compensate for ground motion, resulting in a resolution of 1m (NIIRS
NIIRS
The National Imagery Interpretability Rating Scale is a subjective scale used for rating the quality of imagery acquired from various types of imaging systems. The NIIRS defines different levels of image quality/interpretability based on the types of tasks an analyst can perform with images of a...
4) from a nominal 300 km orbit. SYERS 2 is supplied by the Goodrich Corporation
Goodrich Corporation
The Goodrich Corporation , formerly the B.F. Goodrich Company, is an American aerospace manufacturing company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in Akron, Ohio in 1870 as Goodrich, Tew & Co. by Dr. Benjamin Franklin Goodrich. The company name was changed to the "B.F...
.
SYERS previous version has also been used with the Lockheed U-2
Lockheed U-2
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
reconnaissance aircraft
Reconnaissance aircraft
A reconnaissance aircraft is a manned military aircraft designed, or adapted, to carry out aerial reconnaissance.-History:The majority of World War I aircraft were reconnaissance designs...
.
See also
- 2011 in spaceflight2011 in spaceflightThe year 2011 saw a number of significant events in spaceflight, including the retirement of the Space Shuttle after its final flight in July 2011 and the launch of China's first space station module, Tiangong-1, in September...
- NASA web page on ORS 1
- SYERS 2 Reconnaissance Sensor