USA 189

Also called Mitex Vehicle

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General

Designation	29242 / 06024C
Launch date	21 Jun 2006
Country of origin	United States
Mission	Military: technology
Perigee/Apogee
Inclination
Period
Launch vehicle	Delta 2 #316

Joint DARPA and US Navy program. MiTEx (Micro-Satellite Technology Experiment) is to test advanced technologies embedded in two mini satellites and a new upper stage kick motor. The two MiTEx satellites, one built by Orbital Sciences, the other one by Lockheed Martin, have a life time of one year.

This object is the upper stage. It has a 400-N thruster and solar panels! It will deliver the 2 satellites in GEO.

This spacecraft is equipped with technology enabling it to travel on the GEO. It could therefore be used to observe other satellites, eavesdrop or attack them.

Might have been used to investigate the DSP 3-10 failure.

sat-index articles

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