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Responsive Space Program (RSP)

Kestrel Eye
Army Tactical Satellite Program
Real Time Tactical Military
RECSAT

© C. P. Vick 2009 All Rights Reserved

12-01-09/08-11-10

 Kestrel Eye Micro-RECSAT for Constant Tactical Support

The U. S Army, through its Space and Missile Defense Command, contractors InteliTech Microsystems Inc., of Bowie, Maryland and Quantum Research of Huntsville, Alabama are developing the priority requirements low cost affordable micro-nano-imaging reconnaissance satellite (RECSAT) “Kestrel Eye”. In the fall of 2011 Space-X is scheduled to launch the small Falcon-1e booster with U. S. Army’s new “Kestrel Eye”14 kilogram Imaging satellite. Originally the 9.07 [10] kg (20 pound), ten inch telescope imaging reconnaissance satellite concept was developed by Darpa under the Department of Defense which continues to fund its development with the U. S. Army. Kestrel’s Eye satellite weighs in at a mass of 14 kilograms with a 1.5 meter ground imaging resolution capability. It was designed with the intent of developing a 30 spacecraft constellation that could provide real time constant battlefield tactical observation imaging. Some what years behind the services TacSat program this newer variety satellite certainly reflects similar requirements for its assigned tasks for the US Army. Its first launch is expected some time in 2011 with up to 30 satellites to follow to create the continuous 24 hour satellite monitoring observation capability constellation.

The Kestrel Eye satellite development appears to be on schedule with many parts already design developed or flight qualified and prototyped. This specialized Army satellite payload consist of four solar arrays attached to the base of the instrument bus box shaped support instrument unit with a 10 inch tested telescope mounted above. The on board camera has the integral systems making it possible in real time via it S-band downlink system antenna to send two images per second of a 64 kilometer square area on earth. The four solar arrays with their deployment systems and commercial based instrumentation flight avionics with its attitude control system based on the (COTS) Commercial Orbital Transport Services approved equipment IMI-200 have been prototyped. The 1M1-200 unit contains the 3-axis gyro dynes mass momentum gyros wheel system to maintain the correct required satellite imaging target pointing attitude. Similarly the Camera, communications systems are based on the commercially available systems. The system is designed to be directly task able from the ground by the war fighters providing imagery with 1.5 to 3-meter resolution capability through the back-pack “portable ground station” set up with its sending receiving capability for tasking and date image return on the same orbital pass. The remaining C3I command control communications intelligence data including the camera imagery transmission and power systems were all expected by October 2009 for the (CDR) Critical Design Review of the spacecraft program for further approval to proceed to the final 12 months of assemble and systems integration testing and final testing to flight qualify it for flight.

U.S. Army Tactical RECSAT Standard Concept

The low cost affordable micro-nano-imaging reconnaissance Kestrel Eye satellite is designed to fill a long identified timely intelligence gap for the warfighter that is not available from the large national intelligence spacecraft assets that are strategically tasked intelligence for trends and technical analysis.

References:

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/12/grunts-get-spy-sats-of-their-own/