Project West Ford

URI: https://gptkb.org/entity/Project_West_Ford
GPTKB entity
AI-created image of Project West Ford
AI-created image
Statements (25)
Predicate Object
gptkbp:instanceOf gptkb:military
gptkbp:alsoKnownAs gptkb:Needles_Project
gptkbp:conductedBy gptkb:Lincoln_Laboratory
gptkb:United_States_Air_Force
gptkbp:controversy sparked international concern over space debris
gptkbp:country gptkb:United_States
gptkbp:endDate 1963
https://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#label Project West Ford
gptkbp:launchSite gptkb:Vandenberg_Air_Force_Base
gptkbp:launchVehicle gptkb:Atlas-Agena_B_rocket
gptkbp:location Earth orbit
gptkbp:material copper dipole needles
gptkbp:method dispersal of copper dipole needles into Earth's orbit
gptkbp:needleDiameter 25.4 micrometers
gptkbp:needleLength 1.78 centimeters
gptkbp:notableEvent launched copper needles in 1963
gptkbp:numberOfNeedles approximately 480 million
gptkbp:purpose to create an artificial ionosphere for global radio communication
gptkbp:relatedTo gptkb:Cold_War
satellite communications
gptkbp:result project was largely unsuccessful
gptkbp:startDate 1961
gptkbp:status terminated
gptkbp:bfsParent gptkb:United_States_Department_of_Defense_projects
gptkbp:bfsLayer 4