Hera (rocket)

Hera
Hera
	lbf); 2nd stage: Hercules M57A1 solid-fuel rocket; 156 kN (35,000 lbf)
Operational; range	1,100 kilometres (684 mi)

Hera is a target missile for development testing of missile defense systems such as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense and Patriot PAC-3.

History

In 1992, the

Space and Missile Systems Center, provided technical program management services involved with removing the liquid injection thrust vector control system from the retired MMII second stages in favor of a flex-seal system enabling robust flight control from launch to burn out. First launch was on April 24, 1995, at White Sands Missile Range

.

Because of its range,

IRBM and hence violates Item 1, Article 6 of the INF Treaty.^[1]

Hera is also used in the USAF

Sounding Rocket

Program.

There were twelve tests using the Hera missile system launched from Fort Wingate over the Datil Mountains to White Sands Missile Range between 1997 and 2004.^[2] In March 2009, the tests were resumed with a thirteenth flight over the Datil Mountains.^[3] Other tests using the HERA were conducted entirely within the missile range, such as the aborted 13 September 2006 test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.^[4]

During

Space and Missile Systems Center and the Missile Defense Agency

were satisfied that Coleman had completed the necessary corrective actions.

On October 30, 2013, the Pentagon announced that L3-Coleman had won a $74 million contract

Lockheed Martin Space Systems