Project COPPER COAST

  Origins and Context

Project COPPER COAST emerged in 1990 as a follow-on to earlier USAF radar development efforts including SCIENCE DAWN and COPPER CANYON.¹ The program focused on developing advanced radar capabilities for tracking experimental aerospace vehicles.²

  Program Structure

The program operated under Air Force oversight with technical support from multiple defense contractors.³ Development centered on enhancing existing radar systems to track high-speed aerospace vehicles during ascent and reentry phases.⁴

  Legacy and Impact

While many details remain classified, COPPER COAST contributed to advances in radar tracking technology and helped establish requirements for future space surveillance systems.⁵ The program's developments influenced later Air Force space situational awareness capabilities.⁶

  References

1. nasa.gov ↩

2. sgp.fas.org ↩

3. spaceforce.mil ↩

4. crsreports.congress.gov ↩

5. gao.gov ↩

6. af.mil ↩