The PTV was launched on March 2, 2011 from Fort Wingate Launch Complex-96 into White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico. It flew a southerly trajectory over New Mexico into WSMR and was intercepted by the Patriot Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor system during reentry.

This PTV, known as Juno, was the second of two targets Orbital is under contract to launch in support of the Patriot MSE test and evaluation program.

"We are very pleased to support the U.S. Air Force and the Lower Tier Projects Office with a second successful target launch, culminating in a positive intercept indication," said Mr. Ron Wiley, Senior Vice President of Suborbital Targets Programs at Orbital.

"We look forward to supporting future tests for the Space Development and Test Directorate with the PTV, which has demonstrated its performance as a reliable test platform for future SD missions and Patriot engagements."

Orbital developed the PTV target vehicle over a two and a half year period according to specifications that require the vehicle to have selectable reentry dynamic performance. The PTV Juno rocket relied heavily on flight-proven designs from other Orbital launch vehicles, such as the Medium Range Target, Storm target and Pegasus space launch vehicles.

del.icio.us	Digg	Reddit
YahooMyWeb	Google	Facebook

Orbital Launches PTV For Missile Defense Test Milestone Nears For European Missile Defense Plan Ship to bolster Europe's missile defenses: US Ukraine's Role In European Missile Defense Not Yet Discussed Second Successful PAC-3 MSE Intercept Flight Test Northrop Grumman Submits Final Proposal Revision for MDA's Next Gen Aegis Missile Russia vows to sell missiles to Syria Russia proceeds with missile sale to Syria Second Orbital Test Vehicle X-37B Begins Flight Fire Scout Completes First Unmanned Test Flights On Littoral Combat Ship K-MAX Achieves Numerous Firsts During Recent Demo Flights Northrop Grumman Awarded UAS Common Architecture Working Group Contract LockMart Wins Role On Navy C4ISR Services Contract ONR Moves A Modular Space Communications Asset Into Unmanned Aircraft For Marines Northrop Grumman Next-Gen FBCB2 System Approved For Fielding Boeing To Demonstrate Aviation Command And Control Subsystem For US Marine Corps 250th APG-79 AESA Radar Delivered Cassidian To Deliver 400 Equipment Units Of Future Soldier System To Bundeswehr V-22 Osprey Fleet Surpasses 100,000 Flight Hours BAE Receives Contract For T-11 Parachutes Indian defense budget gets 'hefty' rise Russia big loser in Arab arms market slump Harvard welcomes US military back to campus Bombardier gets jumbo credit deal from China China will pursue 'powerful' military: Wen China's Wen pledges to address 'great resentment' China state media defends military spending hike Double-digit rise for China's military spending Scientists Build World's First Anti-Laser Yale scientists build 'anti-laser' 'Air laser' could find bombs at a distance ONR Achieves Milestone In Free Electron Laser Program