Celestial Eagle - The Satellite Killer
In the late 1950s, the United States commenced with development of anti-satellite weapons. The first US anti-satellite weapon was the Bold Orion Weapon System 199B air-launched from a B-47 Stratojet, which was tested on 19 October 1959 against the Explorer 6 satellite. The two-stage Bold Orion missile was successfully launched, and managed to pass within 4 miles of the Explorer 6 satellite. Unfortunately, considering the lack pf precision, only a relatively large yield nuclear warhead could be effective in the destruction of the target.
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A United States Army Nike Zeus missile armed with a nuclear warhead destroyed an orbiting satellite in May 1963, then replaced by the nuclear-armed Thor anti-satellite system deployed by the Air Force under Program 437, which was eventually replaced the Project 505 Nike Zeus in 1967. The Thor missile system remained in limited deployment until 1975.
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One drawback of nuclear-armed anti-satellite weapons was finally realized...that although the extreme powerful, but imprecise nuclear anti satellite system, would also very likely take out, or heavily damage United States reconnaissance satellites. As a result, the United States anti-satellite weapons development efforts were re-directed to develop systems that would not require the use of thermonuclear weapons.
On the 13th of September 1985, Maj. Wilbert D. "Doug" Pearson, flying an F-15A named "Celestial Eagle” pushed his throttles forward, and accelerated to Mach 1.22, then executed a 3.8g supersonic zoom climb at an angle of 65 degrees nose up.
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Streaking towards the heavens like a supersonic homesick angel, Maj Pearson deployed the Kinetic energy kill ASM-135 ASAT missile at an altitude of 38,100 feet. He watched as the missile streaked away from the zoom climbing Eagle, departed our atmosphere, and successfully destroyed the 2000lb orbiting Solwind P78-1 satellite at closing velocity of 15,000 mph - 200 miles west of Vandenberg Air Force Base at an altitude of 345 miles.
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On September 13th, 1985, Maj. Wilbert D. "Doug" Pearson, flying "Celestial Eagle" became the worlds only "Space Ace", in a fighter jet, to successfully shoot down an orbiting satellite.
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Greetings, I am the surviving sister of Barbara Foster Cesar who passed away in 2007. I would like to get in touch with Major General Wilbert Douglas Pearson. Can you please assist me with contacting Pearson? My cell number is 505-280-5442 – address is 49 Camino del Poniente, Tijeras NM 87059. Thank you for your attention and assistance.
Jean E Foster
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