• Transient upset, which is the inadvertent switching or change of state of digital devices when subjected to X-rays or System Generated EMP (SGEMP). It is not a failure mode of concern to the solar array itself, but must be addressed for the vehicle electronics. A typical system response of concern would be the inadvertent firing of stationkeeping thrusters which could result in a change of orientation or position of the system. Hardening approaches for such effects include the use of invulnerable devices (e.g., electromagnetic relays) or by the use of devices that will not respond to the short weapon radiation pulse. ASAT Attack The options available to conventional satellite systems for withstanding ASAT attack include (I) hardening, in which the weapon impact is conceded, but its ability to kill thwarted, (2) misdirection, in which the attacker's ability to direct the weapon to the target is defeated, either by maneuvering of the target or deceiving the attacker's acquisition and tracking system by decoys or jamming and (3) counterkill in which the ASAT is shot down before it can do any damage. The features of the SPS that dictate a survivability approach are its large size and the large amount of power available to it. Hardening, whether against pellet, laser, or nuclear weapons is not sufficient to ensure survival against an attack, but it can aid the SPS's defensive posture by forcing an attacker to come in closer to fire effectively. Maneuvering and decoys are not feasible for such a large system. Jamming the attacker's acquisition and tracking system would be effective against today's generation of trackers, particularly in view of the SPS power capability. More advanced trackers with home-on-jam capability, or using long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) or optical data may negate this advantage. Counterkill would appear to be a feasible survivability approach, particularly with an on-board laser weapon which could utilize the SPS power capability to fire at long range with sufficient power to destroy an attacker before he got within range with his smaller weapons. Counterkill would require an adequate warning signal from a system such as the Satellite Attack Warning System (SAWS) to be effective, but this should be available in the SPS time frame. B-3
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