Nfire

Near Field Infrared Experiment

---

General

Designation	31140 / 07014A
Launch date	24 Apr 2007
Country of origin	United States
Mission	Military (anti-satellite)
Perigee/Apogee	489/497 km
Inclination	48.2°
Period
Launch vehicle	Minotaur #7

Operated by MDA. Is designed to distinguish between a ballistic missile's fiery plume and the rocket itself. Was to carry a kill-vehicle, which was finaly replaced by the LCT.

The spacecraft is part of MDA's Kinetic Energy Boost-Phase research programme.
3 satellites are planned. Worth $65 million per satellite, without launch.

Primary payloads: an onboard Track Sensor Payload (TSP) and a TESAT Laser Communications Terminal (LCT), made by Tesat-Spacecom of Germany.
NFIRE will gather near-field, high-resolution phenomenology data that will assist in the development of boost-phase intercept systems.

To test the satellite, a Minotaur 2 rocket, TLV-7, was launched on 23 Aug 2007 from Vandenberg. The aim is the have the rocket pass close to NFire so that it observes it.

---

End of life

Out of service	Aug 2015
Cause	Decommissioned
Decay	4 Nov 2015

sat-index articles

Technical data

---

---

Specifications

Prime contractor	Spectrum Astro
Platform	SA-200B
Mass at launch	494 kg
Dry mass	380 kg
Dimension	1.3 m diameter x 2.7 m long
Solar array
Stabilization
DC power
Design lifetime	2 years

---