SCHOOL THESIS

Operating from geostationary orbit over 22,000 miles above the earth, these early
warning satellite systems were designed to immediately detect any missile launches or
nuclear explosions occurring across the globe using sensitive on-board sensors which
could detect the infrared emissions from such intense heat sources. 10
Thus, an evolving Soviet threat caused NORAD to adapt its warning missions to
include both aircraft and missile attacks on North America. Reflecting that evolution, the
1981 NORAD Agreement officially changed the command’s name to the North
American “Aerospace” Defense Command. (See Figure 5.)
Figure 5. New NORAD “Aerospace” Emblem of 1981. 11
10 U.S. Air Force Factsheet, “Infrared Satellites,” accessed 19 Dec 2014,
http://www.losangeles.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=20144.
11 NORAD History Office.
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