The payload was launched on a SR19 launch vehicle over the Pacific Ocean with a booster apogee of less than 500 kilometers for the purpose of studying measurements from various missile defense sensors. Orbital Sciences Corp., a Lockheed Martin subcontractor on the team, integrated the launch vehicle and provided launch services. The payload was built by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Lincoln Laboratory and provided as government-furnished equipment.

"Our teams' achievement helped to provide valuable phenomenology data leading to an improved understanding of the capabilities of the sensors for the Ballistic Missile Defense System," said Jim Tevepaugh, program director, Targets and Countermeasures, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company.

The Targets and Countermeasures Program provides realistic testing for the Ballistic Missile Defense System being developed by the MDA to defend against all classes of ballistic missiles. The expertise of the Lockheed Martin team spans systems engineering, design, manufacture and air-, land- and sea-launch capabilities. The Flexible Targets Family approach to be implemented in 2007 will further reduce cost and cycle time through the use of common subsystems and components for reentry vehicles, instrumentation, boosters and ground support.

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