[07/23/08 – Satellite Today] The Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE) satellite completed its first experiment for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), satellite manufacturer General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, announced Aug. 23.

During the experiment, NFIRE collected images of a boosting missile launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., that flew within 3.5 kilometers of the satellite. Data collected by NFIRE will be used to help develop future missile defense technology efforts. A similar mission is scheduled to be conducted by MDA later this year.

Following these missile data collection experiments, NFIRE will conduct laser crosslink satellite-to-satellite and satellite-to-ground communication experiments with its secondary payload, the Laser Communication Terminal built by Tesat-Spacecom of Germany.