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On June 13, 2002,
the US Navy and
the Missile Defense Agency
completed thier second successful intercept of
ballistic missile from the sea.
A test target vehicle, TTV,
was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on the island of Kauai.
The target flew a nominal trajectory and achieved an altitude of over 315 km.
On board USS Lake Erie,
the Aegis Weapons System detected and immediately transitions to track as the
target broke the radar horizon.
USS Lake Erie launched a Standard Missile-3.
The missile completed MK-72 booster burn and separation followed by MK-104
Dual Thrust Rocket Motor (DTRM) burn and separation.
Airborne cameras tracked target throughout most of its flight.
After MK-104 separation,
the MK-136 Third Stage Rocket Motor, or TSRM,
ignited, propelling the SM-3 up out of the atmosphere and into space.
Velocity, direction and control were provided by thrust vector control
and a attitude control system.
After the first pulse of the TSRM,
the missile pitched over, ejected the nosecone, exposing the SM-3 Kinetic Warhead (KW)
and pitched back toward the target vehicle.
Then, the second TSRM pulse was ignited.
After burnout the SM-3 KW performed IR seeker calibration against a cold space background.
The third stage then pointed towards the target, and the KW was ejected.
The KW acquired the target in its field of view and began tracking and divert maneuvers.
As the KW neared the intercept,
the target image grew in the field of view.
The FM-3 test achieved its primary test objective, a direct hit!
The energy from the impact is calculated to be in excess of 125 mega joules.
Comparable to a 10-ton truck traveling over 600mph.
This is the intercept as seen by cameras observing the hit.
The Aegis Weapons System and range radars confirmed the hit.
Splash one ballistic missile target.
This is the second successful intercept with an Aegis LEAP Intercept flight test project.
This paves the way for eventual deployment for an Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense capability
urgently needed by our friends.