Missile Warning mission uses which sensors?

• A. Uses overhead infrared sensors and ground-based radars
• B. Monitors weather satellite imagery
• C. Tracks space debris
• D. Provides GPS corrections

Answer: (A)

Missile warning relies on two complementary sensing methods that together provide fast detection and precise tracking. Overhead infrared sensors capture the heat signature of a launch and plume, giving quick, wide-area coverage to alert systems the moment a missile is launched. Ground-based radars then take over with high-resolution tracking data—range, direction, speed, and trajectory details—that refine the path and help determine when and where the threat will travel.

Weather satellite imagery isn’t specialized for the rapid, sensitive detection of a ballistic launch, and tracking space debris or providing GPS corrections serves different purposes (orbit observation or navigation) rather than a dedicated warning capability. The combination of overhead infrared sensing and ground-based radar is the setup that best enables timely and accurate missile warning.