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National Security Space
Volume 29, Number 3 (2010)

Since its inception in the 1940s, APL has designed, developed, and launched 63 spacecraft and more than 150 instruments in partnership with NASA and DoD. During that time, space has increasingly become a critical part of the nation’s strategic posture; thus, APL continues to develop effective space-based solutions for the nation’s challenges, including weather, reconnaissance, surveillance, space control, missile defense, and homeland security, while also providing enhanced space support for combat forces in navigation, communications, and targeting. This issue of the Technical Digest highlights some of APL’s space-related accomplishments as well as new mission and technology concepts under development at APL for national security space programs.

National Security Space: Guest Editor’s Introduction Joseph J. Suter

Navigation at APL: A Historical Perspective and a Look Forward Robert L. Henderson, William S. Devereux, and Thomas Thompson

Evolving Operations and Decommissioning of the Midcourse Space Experiment Spacecraft Michael Norkus, Robert F. Baker, and Robert E. Erlandson

APL Spacecraft Autonomy: Then, Now, and Tomorrow George J. Cancro

Effectively Integrating Laboratory, Government, and Industry to Develop and Acquire National Security Space Systems Patrick A. Stadter, Cheryl L. B. Reed, and Eric J. Finnegan

National Security Space Program Management Peter D. Cook

Tactical Spacecraft Commanding Service Architecture Puck-Fai Yan, Matthew J. Potter, and James A. McGovern

Flight Software for the Entire Operationally Responsive Space Vision George J. Cancro, Edward J. Birrane III, Mark W. Reid, J. Douglas Reid, Kevin G. Balon, and Brian A. Bauer

A Constellation Architecture for National Security Space Systems Gregory A. Orndorff and Bruce F. Zink

Creating Capable Nanosatellites for Critical Space Missions Aaron Q. Rogers and Robert A. Summers

Development of Kill Assessment Technology for Space-Based Applications Robert E. Erlandson, Jeff C. Taylor, Christopher H. Michaelis, Jennifer L. Edwards, Robert C. Brown, Pazhayannur K. Swaminathan, Cidambi K. Kumar, C. Bryon Hargis, Arnold C. Goldberg, Eric M. Klatt, and Greggory L. O’Marr

MISCELLANEA APL Achievement Awards and Prizes Linda L. Maier-Tyler