Space Development and Test Wing
Written by Major John Mehrman, SDTW/CCX
The Space Development and Test Wing (SDTW), located at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., is at the center of a DoD call to answer the need for a responsive space capability for today’s warfighters. The unit’s mission is to deliver small, responsive space capabilities to users worldwide. Specifically, SDTW develops, tests and evaluates National Security Space systems, executes advanced space development and demonstration projects and rapidly transitions capabilities to the warfighter.
Comprised of a team of approximately 100 military, 100 government civilians and 160 support contractors, the wing executes the full spectrum of development, acquisition, test, launch, and command and control of small, on-orbit space systems. Primarily, the unit is focused on support of the Research and Development (R&D) community, but is increasingly asked to use their expertise to support emerging operational mission needs in a responsive manner. As one of seven wings under the Air Force Space Command’s (AFSPC) Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), the unit acts as a bridge between R&D organizations and the center’s other space program offices. The unit executes their mission under the umbrellas of three distinct programs: DoD’s Space Test Program (STP), Rocket Systems Launch Program (RSLP) and Research and Development Space and Missile Operations (RDSMO) program.
Colonel Ed Wilson, commander of the Space Development and Test Wing notes, “SDTW has leveraged the capabilities and competencies of three previously independent programs under the auspices of a single wing. The result is an organization much more potent than the sum of its parts. In the end, we’ve been able to focus all the wing’s energies toward delivering small, responsive space capabilities to end users around the world whether they are developing cutting-edge R&D capabilities or fielding a new operational capability for our combatant commanders.”
The Space Test Program is chartered by the office of Secretary of Defense to serve as “the primary provider of mission design, spacecraft acquisition, integration, launch and on-orbit operations for DoD’s most innovative space experiments, technologies and demonstrations” and “the single manager of all DoD payloads on the Space Shuttle and International Space Station.” STP is also the front door for all auxiliary payload launch service requests on Air Force expendable launch vehicles.
“STP has been providing access to space for the DoD space research and development community since 1965. The technologies behind most military satellite programs flying today, such as the Global Positioning System [GPS], military communications satellites, and space-based surveillance and weather systems, had their initial demonstrations as STP risk reduction experiments,” said Colonel Steve Hargis, DoD Space Test Program director and commander of the Space Development Group.
As of December 2008, STP has successfully flown 474 experiments on 192 spaceflights. Access to space is provided through all spaceflight means available, including Space Shuttle and the International Space Station, and commercial and military expendable launch vehicles.
STP services are available for two categories of customers: experiments selected by the DoD Space Experiments Review Board (SERB) that are eligible for STP funding, and customers supplying their own funds. The SERB serves as the focal point of space technology demonstration in DoD. Experiments that have a high potential for providing a new war fighting capability or enhancing an existing capability compete for SERB approval and eventual spaceflight through STP. Each year the SERB releases a rank-order listing of all experiments they wish to have spaceflight-tested. This list is provided to STP, who then manifests as many experiments as its budget will allow. DoD customers with their own funding can access all the services of STP provided through the Space Development and Test Wing without having to compete at the SERB.
The Rocket Systems Launch Program (RSLP) dates back to 1963, when the Advanced Ballistic Missile Reentry Systems (ABRES) program was established to manage reentry vehicle research and the reutilization of deactivated Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) assets. Since then, the program has evolved and today’s RSLP provides a wide breadth of expertise in both ballistic missile testing and space launch initiatives.
RSLP supports the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to develop and test their missile defense programs by launching surplus ICBMs as target vehicles for interceptor and sensor characterization missions. In addition, other sub-orbital tests are in the planning phases to support customers such as NASA. RSLP has achieved a 98 percent launch mission success record of Minuteman-based launches.
Utilizing retired Minuteman and Peacekeeper rocket motors, RSLP provides a cost-effective space launch option for small spacecraft to a variety of orbits. To date, RSLP is eight for eight on space launch successes utilizing retired Minuteman I/II motors in their Minotaur launch vehicle. LTS can support any government customer’s space launch requirements within a 12–18 month time frame.
Currently, RSLP has over 1300 deactivated rocket motors in storage to meet customer requirements. A complete spectrum of RSLP launch services is available including: program management, engineering support, payload integration, and post-test evaluation. The program’s primary goal is to be the provider of choice by offering highly reliable and cost-effective launch services in support of DoD and other government agencies.
RSLP is preparing this year for the first launch of its Minotaur IV launch vehicle. The first three stages of the vehicle utilize retired Peacekeeper ICBM motors and will effectively triple the current Minotaur I space launch capability to Low Earth Orbit. The Research and Development Space and Missile Operations (RDSMO) program provides SDTW satellite command and control capability, making it the only AFSPC Materiel Wing actively operating satellites on a day-to-day basis. Their two most visible activities of RDSMO are the RDT&E Support Complex (RSC) and a deployable Telemetry, Tracking and Commanding (TT&C) ground station unit.
The RSC, also known as the Air Force Satellite Operations Center (SOC)-97, provides a 24/7 manned operations capable of controlling R&D satellites for the DoD and other government agencies. SOC-97 provides a full range of satellite TT&C capabilities including ground equipment configuration control, real-time satellite commanding and anomaly response, telemetry processing, analysis and display, five configurable Payload Test Centers, and mission and satellite bus data archiving and distribution.
The RSC primarily operates through the Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN), but can also connect through UHF, NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System and the Universal Space Network (USN). In addition to R&D satellite operations, the RSC provides AFSCN connectivity during NASA’s Space Shuttle ascent and decent phases and telemetry capture for Delta II launches.
Currently, the RDSMO program is undertaking an initiative called Multi-Mission Satellite Operations Center (MMSOC) Ground System Architecture (GSA). The objective is to develop a common, open system architecture ground system for use in the RSC reducing ground system development time and cost. Additionally, MMSOC will deliver a duplicate ground system to the 50th Space Wing at Schriever Air Force Base. In the event that an experimental satellite has residual capability after the end of the experimental phase, command and control can be easily transferred to the 50th Space Wing for operational tasking.
The other primary activity of the RDSMO program is a deployable TT&C ground station capability. The wing has the ability to deploy ground stations anywhere in the world, land or sea, for any telemetry capture and re-transmit needs. The core of this resource is the 12-foot S-Band Transportable Ground Station (STGS) and the Ocean-going Transportable Test and Evaluation Resource (OTTR). The OTTR is an STGS core that has been ruggedized for use at sea and sits on a 3-axis stabilized gyro system to compensate for boat movement.
“A great example of the responsive nature of this wing is our mobile TT&C unit. Recently the team was asked to support the GeoEye-1 launch. With only 28 days to the launch, we were able to contract support, ship equipment to port, mount equipment on a rented ship and steam to a location 1,000 miles off the west coast of Mexico. Everyone involved in the mission was very impressed with the support of our team,” said Colonel Scott Handy, commander of the Space Test Group.
Additionally, the RDSMO program has developed a mobile AFSCN site, the Transportable Space Test and Evaluation Resource (TSTR). The unit is mainly used to support factory compatibility testing (FCT) of new satellites to ensure connectivity and command and control of the satellite through the AFSCN in the factory, prior to shipping to the launch site for integration.
The newest mission for the wing is as AFSPC’s executing agent for Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) missions. The wing is co-located on Kirtland Air Force Base with the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Space Vehicle Directorate and the DoD’s ORS Office. This team forms the core of ORS Space initiative. SDTW was recently selected by the DoD Executive Agent for Space as the program executor for the ORSSat-1 mission to field the DoD’s first tactical space ISR architecture in response to USCENTCOM’s requirements.
It’s an exciting and rewarding time to be part of SDTW. Its long history of mission success supporting the fielding of cutting-edge space technologies from GPS atomic clocks, to UHF and EHF radio transmitters, to proximity operating capabilities, and a myriad of other critical programs makes the wing a one-of-a-kind asset for the DoD. SDTW’s role in new mission areas such as ORS and forging the ability to rapidly transition emerging technologies and operating concepts to full operations capability is the next horizon. Without question, SDTW is ready to take on the challenge. ♦