Early warning satellite

An early warning satellite is a satellite designed to rapidly detect ballistic missile launches and thus enable defensive military action. To do this, these satellites use infrared detectors that identify the missile thanks to the heat given off by its engines during the propulsion phase.

This type of satellite was developed in the 1960s in the context of the Cold War in order to activate early warning systems in the target territories of a missile attack. It later became a component of missile defense systems, as well as regulatory control systems for nuclear tests.

The United States, Russia and China have a constellation of early warning satellites.