the history of F-15 Eagle it is fascinating. McDonnell Douglas’ fighter has been in service for almost 50 years and has proven to be one of the most successful in history, giving birth to renowned variants such as the F-15E Strike Eagle and the new F-15EX Eagle II, the latter in charge of from Boeing. And it also boasts a curious achievement, since it is the only American aircraft of its type. that has shot down a satellite. Conquest that was possible thanks to the project that gave life to the missile ASM-135A.
This crazy military initiative was born, like many others, during the Cold War. Espionage between the United States and the Soviet Union not only fueled the race between the two powers on different fronts, but also paranoia. Thus, in the late 1970s, rumors began to spread in the White House that his great rival was developing—or at least planning—a technology that would allow him to eliminate surveillance and communications satellites.
Thus, the Jimmy Carter administration commissioned the United States Air Force to develop a renewed anti-satellite system. Platforms created for the same purpose had already been explored in the past, with missiles launched both from the ground and in mid-flight. However, the new program aimed to raise the bar by taking advantage of the qualities of the F-15 Eagle, one of the most modern fighters of the timeand developing a three-stage missile that could reach low-Earth orbit and kill its target in a few minutes.
The project to create the ASM-135A anti-satellite missile was launched in 1978, and in 1979 the company was chosen LTV Aerospace. In December 1982, meanwhile, the first flight test was carried out with a modified F-15 Eagle, loading the weapon at the central anchor point under its fuselage. However, the true “moment of glory” of this initiative only came a few years later.
ASM-135A, the anti-satellite missile launched from an F-15 Eagle
Photos: United States Air Force (Public Domain).
To create the first stage of the ASM-135A anti-satellite missile, LTV Aerospace relied on the air-to-surface missile AGM-69 SRAM, from Boeing, to which he added a solid fuel rocket engine. As a second stage another solid fuel rocket was implemented, in this case called altair 3; while the third consisted of a “miniature self-guided vehicle” or MHVfor its acronym in English.
The latter not only stood out for being in charge of fixing the satellite to be shot down by detecting its infrared signal, but also because it had a complex 63 small motors that allowed it to rotate and correct its trajectory until you reach the target. An incredibly complex development, but small enough to be carried and fired from an F-15 Eagle.
Consider that the ASM-135A anti-satellite missile was almost 5.5 meters long, its diameter was just 50.8 centimeters, and in total it weighed 1,180 kilograms. It is worth clarifying that the MHV weighed only 14 kilos, but it was powerful enough to destroy objects that were in low Earth orbit. Something that could finally be verified in 1985.
A complex maneuver and the end of the P78-1 Solwind
Shooting down a satellite from an F-15 Eagle required a complex maneuver and that escaped the original functions of the fighter. In fact, the aircraft used for the tests had to undergo significant modifications, not only to load the ASM-135A missile, but also in its electronics. In this sense, the changes were applied to the computer and the HUD to provide maneuverability information to the pilot.
To make the shot, the F-15 Eagle had to reach a flight speed of Mach 1.22 and then rise steeply at an angle of 65°. Once the aircraft reached 11,600 meters above sea level, the ASM-135A automatically detached from the fighter and its solid rockets ignited to start the journey in search of the satellite to be destroyed.
On September 13, 1985, during the third launch of the aforementioned missile, the historic destruction of a satellite took place. Of course, the United States did not shoot down a team belonging to the Soviet Union, since such an act would have triggered an international conflict. The target chosen was P78-1 Solwinda satellite that since 1979 operated as an orbiting solar observatory, but which would be disorbited due to technical problems.
According to the United States Air Force, the impact of the MHV against the satellite Occurred a little more than 555 kilometers above the Earth, and at a speed of approximately 15,000 miles per hour (24,140 km/h). The 1,300-kilogram observatory broke into 285 traceable pieces that remained in Earth orbit for many years. The last fell to the earth’s surface in 2004.
The F-15 Eagle pilot in question was Doug Pearson Jr., who became the first to destroy a satellite under this modality. Said served in the USAF until January 2005, when he retired with the rank of Major General. The aircraft he used during the mission was named heavenly eagle (Heavenly Eagle).
The cancellation of the program
Between 1984 and 1986, five launch tests of the ASM-135A anti-satellite missile were carried out, although only one was against a real satellite. After the successful 1985 test, the US Air Force planned to adapt two squadrons of F-15 Eagle fighters for this type of launch. Nevertheless, the show was canceled in 1988 by order of President Ronald Reagan.
By then, fear was growing in public opinion that the arms race between the United States and the USSR would spread into space. In addition, the development costs of the ASM-135A missile had increased at an outrageous rate. Reports from the time estimate that they reached more than 5,000 million dollars, against the $500 million that had been originally budgeted.
Thus, the program was forgotten and the F-15 Eagle returned to its regular duties as an air superiority fighter. A few years later, he was one of the great protagonists of the Gulf War. There he was responsible for 36 of the 39 enemy casualties the USAF achieved in air-to-air engagements.