Milstar is the legacy joint-service backbone of strategic/tactical DOD communications. It provides encrypted, secure, anti-jam communications around the world and uses cross-linked satellites, eliminating the need for ground relay stations. Block I satellites incorporate a low-data-rate payload capable of transmitting 75 to 2,400 bps over 192 EHF channels. Block II satellites carry both the low-data-rate payload and a medium-data-rate payload capable of transmitting 4,800 bps to 1.5 Mbps over 32 channels, allowing larger data to be passed more quickly. Interoperable terminals allow third-party land/sea-based units to upload data in real time to cruise missiles or other compatible weapons.
Milstar provides continuous coverage between 65 degrees north and 65 degrees south latitude. The systems utilize multiple-redundant command and control for high survivability. The last of six satellites launched in 2003 and was augmented by the sixth and final AEHF satellite in 2020. AEHF now supplants Milstar as DOD’s primary system in the combined, fully back-compatible AEHF-Milstar constellation. Milstar surpassed 30 years of operations Feb. 7, 2024,
exceeding its on-orbit design life by three times.
Milstar Satellite Communications System Technical Data
Contractors: Lockheed Martin; Boeing; Northrop Grumman (formerly TRW).
Operator/Location: USSF CFC, Mission Delta 8; 4th Space Operations Squadron (4 SOPS), Schriever SFB, Colo.
First Launch: Feb. 7, 1994.
IOC: July 1997 (Milstar I).
Design Life: 10 yr.
Launch Vehicle: Titan IV/Centaur.
Constellation: 5: two Milstar I; three Milstar II.
Active Satellites: •Block I. Milstar I satellites launched 1994-95. •Block II. Milstar II satellites launched 1999-2003.
Dimensions: Length 51 ft, width 116 ft with full solar array extension. Weight: 10,000 lb.
Performance: Milstar I low-data-rate (LDR) payload transmitting 75 to 2,500 bps of data over 192 channels of EHF; Milstar II LDR and medium-data-rate (MDR) payloads, transmitting 4,800 bps to 1.5 Mbps over 32 channels.
Orbit Altitude: Geosynchronous at 22,000+ miles. Power: Solar arrays generating 8,000 watts.