SMC: Building the future of military space
President Dwight D. Eisenhower visits the Eastern Test Range at Cape Canaveral, Fla. in 1960 as the Atlas D29 is being prepared for launch of MIDAS 1, part of the Weapon System 117L. The MIDAS program aimed at developing a satellite that would carry an infrared sensor to detect hostile ICBM launches. Although the first MIDAS satellite failed to achieve orbit in February 1960, a MIDAS satellite under a subsequent test program AFP461 was successfully launched on May 9, 1963. It operated long enough to detect nine missile launches, thereby contributing to the series of test flights which served to demonstrate the system's increasing reliability and longevity. (U.S. Air Force photo)
PHOTO BY:
VIRIN:
150918-F-YF873-744.jpg
FULL SIZE:
0.5 MB
CAMERA
N/A
LENS
N/A
APERTURE
N/A
No camera details available.
IMAGE IS PUBLIC DOMAIN
Read More
This photograph is considered public domain and has been cleared for release.
If you would like to republish please give the photographer appropriate credit.
Further, any commercial or non-commercial use of this photograph or any other
DoD image must be made in compliance with guidance found at
https://www.dimoc.mil/resources/limitations,
which pertains to intellectual property restrictions (e.g., copyright and
trademark, including the use of official emblems, insignia, names and slogans), warnings
regarding use of images of identifiable personnel, appearance of endorsement, and related matters.