Operationally Responsive Space-1 satellite declared mission ready

  • Published
  • By Michael P. Kleiman
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AFB, N.M. --  On Jan. 3, Air Force Space Command commander Gen. William Shelton declared the Operationally Responsive Space-1 satellite had achieved initial/final operational capability.

The declaration marked another milestone for the record-breaking spacecraft, which went from the drawing board to the launch pad within 32 months and earned early combatant command acceptance in September 2011, less than 90 days after liftoff.

"Feedback we have received from U.S. Central Command is that they are very pleased with the performance of ORS-1 to date," said Thom Davis, ORS-1 program manager at Kirtland Air Force Base. "It is meeting requirements we established at the start of the program and they (USCENTCOM) are now finding new uses for it, so it continues to be a big impact to their overall mission operations."

Featuring a modified version of the SYERS-2 sensor, currently employed by U-2 aircraft, the ORS-1 satellite program began in October 2008 after USCENTCOM addressed an urgent requirement for enhanced battlespace awareness with U.S. Strategic Command.

That discussion ultimately prompted the ORS office's involvement in meeting the need through the initiation of their inaugural spacecraft.

Established in May 2007, the ORS office, a DOD-administered unit, which reports to the Secretary of the Air Force in his position as the department's executive agent for space, has been tasked to design and develop low-cost, rapid-reaction payloads, buses, space lift and launch-control methods to meet joint military operational requirements for on-demand space support and regeneration.

ORS-1 program partners include ATK Spacecraft Systems & Services, Beltsville, Md., Goodrich Corporation ISR Systems, Danbury, Conn., the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., and the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center's Space Development and Test Directorate at Kirtland AFB.

The satellite, which reached orbit in June 2011, will remain under the control of the 1st and 7th Space Operations Squadrons at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo.

"Having a little time to think back and reflect on what the whole ORS-1 team was able to accomplish, it really gives us a lot of lessons about how we can do these kind of programs in the future," said Dr. Peter Wegner, ORS office director. "As urgent needs come up, we really have developed processes and teams that can take those problems and turn them into solutions in very short times for reasonably small amounts of money. That is being both responsive and responsible."