Midas

Midas, abbreviation of Missile Defense Alarm System, any of a series of 12 unmanned U.S. military satellites developed to provide warning against surprise attacks by Soviet intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Midas was the first such warning system in the world. Launched during the early 1960s, the reconnaissance satellites were equipped with infrared sensors capable of detecting the heat of a ballistic missile’s rocket exhaust shortly after firing. To provide global coverage, the Midas satellites were placed into polar orbits. Midas 1 and 2, launched Feb. 25 and May 24, 1960, respectively, suffered mechanical failures. The first successful Midas satellite was Midas 3, launched on July 12, 1961. The last Midas satellite, Midas 12, was launched on Oct. 5, 1966. Because of launch and mechanical failures, the Midas satellites were unable to provide the desired continuous coverage of the Soviet Union. The infrared sensors could not distinguish between missile launches and sunlight reflected off clouds in the upper atmosphere. The subsequent satellite early warning system, the Defense Support Program, succeeded where Midas had failed.