Back Midcourse Space Experiment German Midcourse Space Experiment English Midcourse Space Experiment Spanish Midcourse Space Experiment French Midcourse Space eXperiment Galician Midcourse Space Experiment ID Midcourse Space Experiment Italian Midcourse Space Experiment Russian
The Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) is a Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) satellite experiment (unmanned space mission) to map bright infrared sources in space. MSX offered the first system demonstration of technology in space to identify and track ballistic missiles during their midcourse flight phase.[1]
 Midcourse Space Experiment | |
| Names | MSX |
|---|---|
| Operator | BMDO |
| COSPAR ID | 1996-024A |
| SATCAT no. | 23851 |
| Website | MSX home page |
| Mission duration | 8 months and 8 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Launch mass | 2,700 kg (6,000 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | April 24, 1996 |
| Rocket | Delta 7920-10 |
| Launch site | Vandenberg AFB SLC-2W |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Perigee | 898 km (558 mi) |
| Apogee | 903 km (561 mi) |
| Period | 100 minutes |
- ↑ Williams, Frank. "Space-Based Surveillance Operations Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration," Space Tactics Bulletin, Vol 6, Issue 4