Status of the Third Miniature Sensor Technology Integration Satellite Mission

The MSTI-3 satellite is the third in a series established to test, in realistic scenarios, miniature spacecraft and sensor technologies for missile detection and tracking on low-cost, low-earth orbit technology demonstration satellites. Cooperative demonstrations are planned to combine MSTI-provided target track file information, with interceptor technology tests, to fully demonstrate technologies associated with theater missile defense (TMO) targeting. The program is sponsored by the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) and executed by a government/industry team led by the Air Force Phillips Laboratories\u27 Space Experiments Directorate operating location at Edwards Air Force Base

Long-term change and geospatial patterns of river ice cover and navigability in Southcentral Alaska detected with remote sensing

ABSTRACTPeople who travel on ice-covered rivers to access traditional lands and resources can be profoundly impacted by effects of climate change on river ice seasonality. We used remote sensing, bolstered by citizen science, to assess trends and geospatial patterns of the ice cover in the Copper River Basin of Southcentral Alaska. Our analysis of Landsat imagery from water years (WYs) 1973 to 2021 suggests a severely diminishing season of river ice travel (delayed or incomplete freezeup, early breakup) due to increasing air temperatures. The weekly probability of an adequate ice cover for river crossings declined by an average of 53 percentage points. Ice extent was closely related to accumulated freezing degree days (AFDD). AFDDOct-Apr decreased by 15% since WY 1943, a significant warming trend. We mapped the spatiotemporal variation of ice and open water extent with multispectral and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery (Sentinel-2, Sentinel-1). We identified reaches with more reliable opportunities for winter access and others susceptible to extensive open water, differences related to flow energy and channel form. The results of this study can support local decision making and adaptation in response to rapidly changing river ice conditions, and our approach can be applied elsewhere to document change and improve travel safety