The Space and Missile Tracking System contribution to Planetary Defense: detection of asteroids and comets with Earth-crossing orbits

Abstract

Describes the capability of the Space and Missile Tracking System (SMTS), formerly called Brilliant Eyes (BE), to discover and track near Earth objects (NEOs)-asteroids and comets-as part of the defense of our planet. SMTS will consist of many identical small satellites in low Earth orbit. Each satellite will be equipped with multicolor passive sensors which include visible light, short-wave infrared (SWIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) wavebands (among others). After outlining the nature of the NEO impact hazard, the paper describes the SMTS program, and SMTS's role in support of the Air Force Space Command's Space Surveillance and Planetary Defense missions. Data on SMTS's NEO detection range as a function of NEO size is provided for a range of conditions for both the visible and LWIR bands. SMTS's capability to observe the celestial sphere as a by-product of Space Surveillance operations is estimated. This result is used to estimate the probability of observing a NEO during a single pass for a variety of encounters. Finally, SMTS's capability to supply state and intensity estimates for meteors during atmospheric entry using stereo SWIR observations is discussed.