scope:

Description of Driving Event:

At approximately T+55 seconds the flight of the Strategic Target System (STARS) missile was terminated due to an inadvertent destruct action that occurred during an attempt to transfer control of the Flight Termination System (FTS) command receiver from the ground transmitter site, located at the Kodiak Launch Complex (KLC, Alaska) to the downrange off-axis airborne transmitter aboard a P3 aircraft. This resulted in total loss of the vehicle and the loss of the anticipated data required to meet the mission objectives. At the time of the destruct action, there were no safety problems with the missile or its trajectory. The vehicle was flying nominally and in control until the moment of destruction, and was within all prescribed safety boundaries and corridor limits for debris impact.