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The ASM-135 ASAT is an air-launched anti-satellite multistage missile that was developed by Ling-Temco-Vought's LTV Aerospace division. The ASM-135 was carried exclusively by the United States Air Force (USAF)'s F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft. ==Development== Starting in the late 1950s, the United States began development of anti-satellite weapons. The first United States anti-satellite weapon was Bold Orion Weapon System 199B. Like the ASM-135, the Bold Orion missile was air-launched; but in this case from a B-47 Stratojet. The Bold Orion was tested in 19 October 1959 against the Explorer 6 satellite.〔Edited By Bhupendra Jasani, ''Space Weapons and International Security'', A SIPRI Publication, Oxford University Press, 1987.〕 The two-stage Bold Orion missile passed within 4 miles (6.4 km) of Explorer 6. From this distance, only a relatively large yield nuclear warhead would likely have destroyed the target.〔Encyclopedia Astronautica, ''Bold Orion'', (), web page retrieved on 3 November 2007.〕 Starting in 1960 the Department of Defense (DoD) started a program called SPIN (SPace INtercept).〔 In 1962, the United States Navy launched Caleb rockets as part of the Satellite Interceptor Program, with the objective of developing an anti-satellite weapon.〔Federation of American Scientists Web Site, ''FAS Space Policy Project - Military Space Programs'', (), web page retrieved on 3 November 2007.〕〔Aerospace Web.org Website. ''NOTSNIK, Project Pilot & Project Caleb'' () retrieved on 5 November 2007.〕 The United States developed direct ascent anti-satellite weapons. A United States Army Nike Zeus missile armed with a nuclear warhead destroyed an orbiting satellite in May 1963.〔Paul B. Stares, ''The Militarization of Space: U.S. Policy, 1945–1948'', Cornell University Press, 1985.〕 One missile from this system known as Project MUDFLAP and later as Project 505 was available for launch from 1964 until 1967.〔 A nuclear-armed Thor anti-satellite system deployed by the United States Air Force under Program 437 eventually replaced the Project 505 Nike Zeus in 1967. The Program 437 Thor missile system remained in limited deployment until 1975.〔Peter L. Hays, ''Struggling Towards Space Doctrine: U.S. Military Plans, Programs, and Perspectives during the Cold War,'' Ph.D. dissertation, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, May 1994〕 One drawback of nuclear-armed anti-satellite weapons was that they could also damage United States reconnaissance satellites. As a result, the United States anti-satellite weapons development efforts were re-directed to develop systems that did not require the use of nuclear weapons.〔 After the Soviet Union demonstrated an operational co-orbital anti-satellite system, in 1978, U.S. President Jimmy Carter directed the USAF to develop and deploy a new anti-satellite system.〔Dr. Raymond L. Puffer, ''The Death of a Satellite'', (), Retrieved on November 3, 2007.〕 In 1978, the USAF started a new program initially designated the Prototype Miniature Air-Launched Segment (PMALS) and Air Force Systems Command's Space Division established a system program office.〔 The USAF issued a Request for Proposal for the Air-Launched Miniature Vehicle (ALMV). The requirement was for an air-launched missile that could be used against satellites in low Earth orbit. In 1979, the USAF issued a contract to LTV Aerospace to begin work on the ALMV. The LTV Aerospace design featured a multi-stage missile with an infrared homing kinetic energy warhead.〔Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. ''Vought ASM-135 ASAT'' () Accessed on 2 November 2007.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「ASM-135 ASAT」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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