Ballistic Missile Defense Organization facts for kids
| BMDO | |
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1974 (older version) 1993 (newer version) |
| Preceding agency |
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| Dissolved | 2002 (renamed) |
| Superseding agency |
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| Jurisdiction | Federal government of the United States |
The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) was a special group within the United States Department of Defense. It started on May 20, 1974. Its job was to manage all of the U.S. efforts to defend against ballistic missiles. A ballistic missile is a type of rocket that travels a long distance through space before falling back to Earth. BMDO was later renamed the Missile Defense Agency in 2002.
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What Was the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization?
BMDO was created to protect the United States from missile attacks. It grew out of an earlier group called the SAFEGUARD System Organization. At first, BMDO's main goal was to defend U.S. missile sites. But it also did a lot of research and development. This research focused on new technologies to improve missile defense. BMDO also managed a special testing area called the Kwajalein Missile Range.
How Did BMDO Change Over Time?
In July 1984, BMDO became part of a bigger project. This project was called the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO). Just one year later, BMDO was renamed the U.S. Army Strategic Defense Command.
The name "Ballistic Missile Defense Organization" (BMDO) came back in 1993. This happened when President Bill Clinton's government renamed SDIO back to BMDO. At this time, the focus of missile defense changed. It shifted from protecting the whole country to protecting specific regions. This was known as "theater missile defense."
However, the focus changed again in 1998. Defense Secretary William Cohen wanted to spend more money on national missile defense. The goal was to build a system to protect against possible attacks from countries like North Korea. It also aimed to guard against accidental launches from places like Russia or China.
BMDO's Space Mission: Clementine
BMDO became more well-known in 1994. This was when it launched a space probe called Clementine. BMDO worked with NASA on this mission to the Moon. BMDO's main interest was testing new satellite and space technologies. These technologies were built into Clementine. The probe even helped discover areas of ice at the Moon's south pole!
In 2002, President George W. Bush's government renamed BMDO once more. It became the Missile Defense Agency, which it is still called today.
Key Moments in BMDO's History
This timeline shows some important dates for the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO).
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