Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle test demonstrates redesign thrusters for missile defense
NewsFebruary 01, 2016
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. During a Missile Defense Agency flight test, engineers gathered data and observed in-flight performance on Raytheon’s Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV), which demonstrated the redesign of the EKV thrusters that provides the control necessary for lethal impact with incoming threats while safely outside of the Earth's atmosphere.
During the flight test, Ground-based Midcourse Defense system, a ballistic missile target was launched and purposely not intercepted to demonstrate for maximum maneuvering and data collection. Raytheon's sea-based X-band radar (SBX) and AN/TPY-2 radar supported the test.
Engineers designed EKV to destroy incoming ballistic threats while they are still in space.
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