Solid State Phased Array Radar SystemThe Solid State Phased Array Radar System (SSPARS) is a network of fixed-position, solid-statephased arrayradar systems used for long-range early warning and space surveillance. SSPARS provides critical missile defense data primarily for the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. As of 2026, six of the seven existing SSPARS installations are equipped with the AN/FPS-132 Upgraded Early Warning Radar (UEWR) radar system.Space Detection and Tracking SystemThe Space Detection and Tracking System (SPADATS), was built by the United States Department of Defense in 1960 to integrate defense systems built by different branches of the United States Armed Forces and was placed under North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). The United States Air Force had a program called Spacetrack, and was a network of space-probing cameras and radar.
Project Space TrackProject Space Track was a research and development project of the United States Air Force, to create a tracking system for all artificial satellites of the Earth and space probes. Triggered by the launch of Sputnik 1, the project was started in 1957 at the Air Force Cambridge Research Center at Laurence G. Hanscom Field in Bedford, Massachusetts.
Space Defense CenterThe Space Defense Center (SDC) was a space operation center of the North American Aerospace Defense Command. It was successively housed at two Colorado locations, Ent Air Force Base, followed by Cheyenne Mountain's Group III Space Defense Center The 1st Aerospace Control Squadron manned the SDC at both locations, which used the Electronic Systems Division's 496L System for processing and displaying data combined from the U.S. "Air Force's and the Navy's Spasur" (NAVSPASUR).
Ballistic missileA ballistic missile is a type of missile that follows a ballistic trajectory and is powered only during a relatively brief initial period—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) typically stay within the Earth's atmosphere, while most larger missiles travel outside the atmosphere. The type of ballistic missile with the greatest range is an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The largest ICBMs are capable of full orbital flight.
Monopulse radarMonopulse radar is a radar system that uses additional encoding of the radio signal to provide accurate directional information. The name refers to its ability to extract range and direction from a single signal pulse. Monopulse radar avoids problems seen in conical scanning radar systems, which can be confused by rapid changes in signal strength. The system also makes jamming more difficult. Most radars designed since the 1960s are monopulse systems.Early-warning radarAn early-warning radar is any radar system used primarily for the long-range detection of its targets, i.e., allowing defences to be alerted as early as possible before the intruder reaches its target, giving the air defences the maximum time in which to operate. This contrasts with systems used primarily for tracking or gun laying, which tend to offer shorter ranges but offer much higher accuracy.
IBM 7090The IBM 7090 is a second-generation transistorized version of the earlier IBM 709vacuum-tubemainframe computer that was designed for "large-scale scientific and technological applications". The 7090 is the fourth member of the IBM 700/7000 series scientific computers. The first 7090 installation was in December 1959. In 1960, a typical system sold for $2.9 million (equivalent to $23 million in 2025) or could be rented for $63,500 a month (equivalent to $514,000 in 2024).
Radar horizonThe radar horizon is a critical area of performance for aircraft detection systems, defined by the distance at which the radar beam rises enough above the Earth's surface to make detection of a target at the lowest level possible. It is associated with the low elevation region of performance, and its geometry depends on terrain, radar height, and signal processing. This concept is associated with the notions of radar shadow, the clutter zone, and the clear zone.
United States Air ForceAir service branch of the U.S. militaryMilitary unitThe United States Air Force (USAF) is the airservice branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is a part of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) and is one of the six armed forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States.
Cold War1947–1991 geopolitical rivalry between US and USSR NATO and Warsaw Pact states in 1988Duration44 years and 9 monthsPart of the post-World War II eraLocationGlobalThe Cold War was a period of international geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalistWestern Bloc and communistEastern Bloc. It began in the aftermath of the Second World War and ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
IBM 709The IBM 709 is a computer system that was announced by IBM in January 1957 and first installed during August 1958. The 709 was an improved version of its predecessor, the IBM 704, and was the third of the IBM 700/7000 series of scientific computers. The improvements included overlapped input/output, indirect addressing, and three "convert" instructions which provided support for decimal arithmetic, leading zero suppression, and several other operations.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.