America’s Space Sentinels: DSP Satellites and National Security

Modern War Studies

by Jeffrey T. Richelson

During much of the Cold War, America's first line of defense was in outer a network of secret satellites that could provide instant warning of an enemy missile launch. The presence of these infrared sensors orbiting 22,000 miles above the earth discouraged a Soviet first strike and stabilized international relations between the superpowers, and they now play a crucial role in monitoring the missile programs of China, India, and other emerging nuclear powers. Jeffrey Richelson has written the first comprehensive history of this vital program, tracing its evolution from the late 1950s to the present. He puts Defense Support Program operations in the context of world events - from Russian missile programs to the Gulf War - and explains how DSP's infrared sensors are used to detect meteorites, monitor forest fires, and even gather industrial intelligence by "seeing" the lights of steel mills.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

330 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Dave Ives · Rating 4 out of 5]

I especially liked this book because it gave me the go-ahead to write my second book, "Yanks in the Outback." I couldn't get over how much information the author shared about the DSP program; information that used to be classified. Now, it's all out the for folks to read about. I'm glad.

The author takes a relatively boring subject and makes it very readable. He tells stories that make the technical nature of the subject much more enjoyable. Even though I worked at two DSP sites in the late 80s and early 90s, I still learned a lot from this book. It's a great reference for the history of this once secret and high tech space program.

[Ronald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda bland history of the program. Feels more like an official air force history document. There are tidbits of technical info, but it's also more than twenty years old.