The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).
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(U) Advanced Electro-Optical Warning Sensor (AEOWS)

-Description
-Initiatives
-Links
-Impacts
-Requirements
-Lead
-Programmatics
-Categories
-POC
-Images
-Road Map
-Text Version

Overview (U):

(U) The Advanced Electro-Optical Warning Sensor (AEOWS) is a space based surveillance and threat warning system to be deployed in low earth orbits (LEO); possibly as a pre-planned product improvement (P3I) to Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) LOW.


Description (U):

(U) The AEOWS consists of a visible scanning sensor and a medium-wave infrared (MWIR) staring sensor.

(U) The visible Sensor builds upon the SBIRS LOW design, and will detect theater ballistic missiles (TBMs) during their boost phase, through clouds, using a sodium and/or potassium Fraunhofer-wavelength atomic resonance filter (ARF) for sunlight suppression. The MWIR staring sensor will detect slow moving cruise missile (CM) type targets using advanced sensors technology to achieve higher sensitivity and advanced signal processing algorithms to eliminate earth background noise. Both sensors can be implemented as an integrated sensor suite on the same platform or as separate sensor suites on different platforms. There is also a strong possibility that one or both of these advanced sensors could be a pre-planned product improvement (P3I) to the SBIRS LOW satellite. Also, the MWIR staring sensor can be implemented as an adjunct sensor with space based radar to solve nadir hole problems and provide a second phenomenology.

(U) The recommended candidate constellation for implementing theAEOWS is SBIRS LOW because it provides a continuous world-wide access capability. Implementing the AEOWS concept on SBIRS LOW requires the addition of a visible focal plane and an atomic resonance filter (ARF) into the existing SWIR scanning sensor.

User Impact (U):

(U) To be supplied.

Programmatics (U):

(U) Operational/Programmable.

(U) Organizations and Funding:

Images (U):

(U) None.

Related Initiatives (U):
NameTitle
SBIRS HighSpace-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) High
SBIRS High NUDET PackageSpace-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) High Nuclear Exo-atmospheric Detonation (NUDET) PACKAGE
This Table Is Unclassified.

Related Requirements (U): None.

Related Categories (U):
NameTitle
Space-Based WarningSpace-Based Warning Systems
This Table Is Unclassified.

Road Map Placements (U):

NameTitle
National Security Space Road MapIntegrated System Road Map
SURVEILLANCE AND WARNINGSPACE FORCE ENHANCEMENT: SURVEILLANCE AND WARNING
This Table Is Unclassified.

Requirements, Funding and Additional Hotlinks (U):

(U) None.

Lead Office (U):

Air Force.

Point of Contact (U):

(U) Maj Tracey Kaber, Open Phone: (310) 363-6084, DSN 833-6084.

Date Of Information (U):

(U) 29 June 1998



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(U) For comments/suggestions contact: Office of the National Security Space Architect (NSSA), 571-432-1300.

(U) Road Map Production Date: 23 June 2001


The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).