Successful Test launch of Ground based Interceptor
December 14, 2005
The MDA “Missile Defense Agency” Announced late Tuesday night the successful completion of an important test involving the launch of an operationally-configured Ground-based Interceptor missile. The interceptor missile was launched at approximately 3:04 P.M (local time, December 14); (10:04 p.m. Easter Time, December 13) from the Ronald Reagan Test Site, Republic of the Marshall Islands, in the central Pacific Ocean. For this exercise, there was a simulated launch of a target missile from the Kodiak, Alaska using data from the previous launches.
The MDA also stated that the test also successfully tested a wide variety of components and subcomponents as part of the evaluation of system performance. Including improved missile silo support equipment, booster/kill vehicle separation. Kill vehicle cryogenic sensor cooling and kill vehicle orientation and positioning. The Ground-based Midcourse Defense System has seven interceptors deployed at Ft. Greely and two at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. Two additional interceptor missiles are scheduled for deployment at Ft. Greely over the next two years.
To read the Missile Defense Agency press release follow this Link
