Space Detection and Tracking System: Difference between revisions

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SPADATS was developed by the SpaceTrack Research and Development Facility, also called the 496L System Program Office, at [[Hanscom Air Force Base|Hanscom Field]] in [[Bedford, Massachusetts]].{{r|Weeden}} It first operated at the Electronic Systems Command building at Hanscom and in 1963 was transferred to the [[Ent Air Force Base]]{{r|Weeden}} and then to the [[Cheyenne Mountain Complex]] in 1965<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.norad.mil/Portals/29/Documents/History/A%20Brief%20History%20of%20NORAD.pdf | title=A Brief History of NORAD | publisher=NORAD |date=December 21, 2012 | author=Office of History, North American Aerospace Defense Command | accessdate=February 23, 2015 }}</ref> or 1966.{{r|Weeden p. 4}} From that point, the SpaceTrack Research and Development Facility continued to build and test new software, manage contracts for hardware and software, and operate as a backup facility.<ref name=Weeden>{{cite web | url=http://swfound.org/media/15742/computer%20systems%20and%20algorithms%20for%20space%20situational%20awareness%20-%20history%20and%20future%20development.pdf | title=Computer Systems and Algorithms for Space Situational Awareness: History and Future Development | author=Brian C. Weeden and Paul J. Cefola |work=ISCOPS 12th International Conference of Pacific-Basin Societies | publisher=Advances in the Astronautical Sciences | via=Secure World Foundation | date=December 1, 2010 | volume=138 |page=3-4 | accessdate=February 23, 2015}}</ref> SPADATS was developed in assembly language and the hardware at all three locations was Philco 2000/Model 212 large scale transistorized computers.<ref name="Weeden p. 4">{{cite web | url=http://swfound.org/media/15742/computer%20systems%20and%20algorithms%20for%20space%20situational%20awareness%20-%20history%20and%20future%20development.pdf | title=Computer Systems and Algorithms for Space Situational Awareness: History and Future Development | author=Brian C. Weeden and Paul J. Cefola |work=ISCOPS 12th International Conference of Pacific-Basin Societies | publisher=Advances in the Astronautical Sciences | via=Secure World Foundation | date=December 1, 2010 | volume=138 |page=3-4 | accessdate=February 23, 2015}}</ref> Spiral Decay, a Special Perturbation Program, was used to model the motion of space objects re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. Project 437 used a second Special Perturbation Program called ESPOD.{{r|Weeden p. 4}}

SPADATS remained operational until about 1980 at Cheyenne Mountain. Some of its logic, though continued on in [[Space Defense Center|Space Defense Operations Center]] (SPADOC) systems.{{r|Weeden p. 4}}

==References==