Instrument Host Information
IDENTIFIER urn:nasa:pds:context:instrument_host:spacecraft.msx::1.3
NAME The Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) Spacecraft
TYPE Spacecraft
DESCRIPTION The Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) was a long-duration observatory-style measurement platform designed and managed by the US Ballistic Middile Defense Organizaion. Launched into a heliosynchronous orbit aroung Earth, it was designed as a technology test for tracking ballistic missiles from space, and also as a survey instrument for mapping celestial sources - in particular areas of the sky not observed by IRAS, and bright IR sources identified by IRAS. It also made observations in visible and ultraviolet bands. During its primary mission (April 1996 to May 1998) it collected data on Earth, Earth-limb, celestial background targets, ICBM targets, resident space objects, and projectiles fired from the satellite itself for calibration purposes. In May 1998, the MSX spacecraft was reassigned to the Space Surveillance network, where it continues to operate as a contributing sensor.
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REFERENCES Mill, J.D., R.R. O'Neil, S. Price, G.J. Romick, O.M. Uy, E.M. Gaposchkin, G.C. Light, W.W. Moore, Jr., T.L. Murdock, and A.T. Stair, Jr., Midcourse Space Experiment: Introduction to the spacecraft, instruments, and scientific objectives, Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, 31, 900-907, 1994.