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The U.S. Space Force’s Space Delta 2 provided critical space domain awareness support to Space Systems Command’s VICTUS NOX mission, Sept. 14, a demonstration of an on-demand satellite launch and delivery into an assigned orbit.
The VICTUS NOX mission was also a test of DEL 2's space domain awareness capabilities. The DEL 2 units worked closely with Space Systems Command’s Space Safari, Space Training and Readiness Command’s 3rd Test and Evaluation Squadron, Millennium Space Systems, and Firefly Aerospace to ensure that the mission was a success.
“The 20th Space Surveillance Squadron is proud of the work by the Capability Test Team for VICTUS NOX, the first such team to be constituted as part of the Space Force’s integrated test concept,” said U.S. Space Force Lt. Col. Richard Fancher, 20 SPSS commander. “We are excited for the 30-day mission, and to document the lessons learned throughout to inform future programs.”
DEL 2’s 20 SPSS joined the capability test team in January 2023 and quickly developed concepts of operations and procedures for the VICTUS NOX mission. They will also provide three flight directors for the duration of the mission 24 hours each day.
DEL 2's 19th Space Defense Squadron was heavily involved in the planning phases of VICTUS NOX, supporting the launch and early orbit protection of the spacecraft. During the execution phase, the orbital paths of the spacecraft are screened and monitored, from launch and deployment to eventual decay, to determine if there is a risk of collision with any other resident space objects.
DEL 2’s 18th Space Defense Squadron provided launch analysis support and coordinated with the satellite owner-operator for information sharing.
“18 SDS's ability to support tactically responsive space by integrating the VICTUS NOX flight plan on such short notice is a prime example of how we provide and advance a continuous, comprehensive, and combat-relevant understanding of the space situation,” said Lt. Col. Jordan Mugg, 18 SDS commander.
ELSET 1, the first element set detected by the space surveillance network, was published approximately six hours after launch and then published approximately 10 hours later as “NORAD Cat ID # 57861” on Space-Track.org, U.S. Space Command’s public website that hosts the most complete satellite catalog of artificial objects in Earth’s orbit. This has been consistent with other similar launches with conjunction assessments being accomplished immediately in support of spaceflight safety.
“Space domain awareness is essential to our ability to operate effectively in space,” said Col. Raj Agrawal, DEL 2 commander. “The VICTUS NOX mission was a great opportunity to demonstrate our portion to rapid response capabilities in this area and to work with industry partners to ensure the safety of spaceflight.”
This information sharing and collaboration are under the guidance of the USSPACECOM’s Space Situational Awareness Sharing Program, which DEL 2 executes. The SSA Sharing Program offers a range of services for space stakeholders to promote spaceflight safety and enhance SSA. These services include tracking launches and separations and conjunction assessment.
Located at Site C‐6, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, the 20 SPSS is a multiplatform operational unit. It maintains and operates the Eglin Phased Array Radar and operates the Space Fence Phased Array Radar, located on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Combined, the two radars track more than 26,000 Near‐Earth and Deep‐Space objects.
Located at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, the 18 SDS provides tasking to the Space Surveillance Network, a worldwide network of satellite-tracking radar sensors and optical telescopes, to track artificial objects from low earth to geosynchronous orbit. The unit tracks more than 44,900 objects in Earth's orbit, including about 8,400 active spacecraft that are published on Space-Track.org, which has more than 163,000 active accounts representing 205 countries. USSPACECOM currently has SSA Sharing Agreements with 133 commercial companies, more than 30 countries, and 7 universities.
Located at Naval Support Facility Dahlgren, Virginia, the 19 SDS maintains custody of artificial objects that are beyond geosynchronous orbit and in cislunar orbit and predicts the likelihood of on-orbit collisions.
| Date Taken: | 09.28.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 09.28.2023 13:05 |
| Story ID: | 454559 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 251 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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