Midcourse Space Experiment
 | |
| Names | MSX |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Technology demonstration |
| Operator | BMDO |
| COSPAR ID | 1996-024A |
| SATCAT no. | 23851 |
| Website | MSX home page |
| Mission duration | 12 years, 2 months, 16 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Launch mass | 2,700 kg (6,000 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 24 April 1996, 12:27 UTC |
| Rocket | Delta 7920-10 D-235 |
| Launch site | Vandenberg AFB SLC-2W |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Decommissioned |
| Last contact | 10 July 2008 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Perigee altitude | 898 km (558 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 903 km (561 mi) |
| Period | 100 minutes |
The Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) is a Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) satellite experiment (unmanned space mission) to map bright infrared sources in space. MSX offered the first system demonstration of technology in space to identify and track ballistic missiles during their midcourse flight phase.