Pathfinder Satellite
The first "pathfinder" satellite of the SBSS system was successfully placed into orbit onboard a Minotaur IV rocket on September 25, 2010. Originally, the launch was scheduled for December 2008 but was rescheduled for Spring of 2009, and again delayed until 22 Oct 2009. The launch delays were caused by problems with the booster, and not the satellite itself. A launch expected for July 8, 2010 was also postponed. The program cost $823 million, including satellite, payload, launch, and ground support. (The satellite and payload contracts to Ball Aerospace are approximately 40% of the total.) It is designed to examine every spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit at least once a day.
The SBSS pathfinder satellite has a 30 cm telescope on a two axis gimbal with a 2.4 megapixel image sensor and has a projected mission duration of five and a half years.
Read more about this topic: Space Based Space Surveillance
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