[Satellite TODAY 09-22-11] The U.S. Air Force’s Operationally Responsive Space-1 (ORS-1) satellite was declared fully operational following successful on-orbit deployment and checkout of all systems, the spacecraft’s bus manufacturer ATK announced Sept. 21.

   ORS-1, launched in June on a Minotaur rocket, is the first satellite in the U.S. Department of Defense’s Operationally Responsive Space program, which is designed to support combatant command operations as an operational satellite. The ORS-1 mission also focuses on the quick deployment of a small satellite with innovative sensor technologies to provide real-time support to commanders in the battlefield.

   The ORS-1 satellite bus is based on the design ATK developed for the Pentagon’s TacSat-3 satellite with the addition of a propulsion module. TacSat-3 launched in 2009, transitioned to full operation in October 2010 to support warfighters in the battlefield.

   The ORS-1 program is managed and executed by the U.S. Space Development and Test Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base.