Alternate Boost Vehicle (ABV) Verification Tests. Environmental Assessment

摘要

MDA has conducted an Environmental Assessment (EA) of the potential environmental consequences of the development and test of an uncanisterized Alternate Boost Vehicle (ABV). Up to six ABV test flights over about a 5-year period are proposed at Vandenberg Air Force Base (AFB), CA. MDA is developing the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Element of the conceptual Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). The BMDS concept is to defend against threat missiles in each phase or segment of the missile's flight. There are three segments of this conceptual system in various stages of technology development: Boost Phase Defense, Midcourse Defense, and Terminal Defense. Each segment of the BMDS is being developed to destroy an attacking missile in the corresponding boost, midcourse, or terminal phase of its flight. The boost phase is the portion of a missile's flight in which it is producing thrust to gain altitude and acceleration. During the midcourse phase, which occurs outside the earth's atmosphere for medium and long-range missiles, the missile is coasting in a ballistic trajectory. During the Terminal Phase, the missile enters the atmosphere and continues on to its target. The GMD Element is designed to protect the United States in the event of a limited ballistic missile attack by destroying the threat missile in the midcourse phase of its flight.