This week in Edwards flight test history

  • Published
  • 412th Test Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  On Sep. 13, 1985, at Edwards, then Maj. Wilbert D. “Doug” Pearson zoom-climbed a specially-configured F-15A to 38,000 feet and launched a Vought ASM-135A anti-satellite missile against an orbiting Solwind P78-1 satellite. The missile’s miniature kinetic-kill vehicle intercepted and destroyed the target satellite marking the first time that a satellite had been destroyed by an aircraft.