From: USAF, 14th Air Force, Vanderberg AFB, California Date: November 18, 1998 Release No. 98-1102 USAF SATELLITES WEATHER LEONIDS SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Air Force spacecraft appear undamaged following today's Leonid meteoroid storm according to Air Force space crews flying the nation's military satellite force. We will continue to carefully monitor our spacecraft to ensure they are working properly," said Col. Michael Kelly, Deputy Commander, 50th Operations Group. Uncertain about the severity of the storm, 14th Air Force space operations crews spent much of the past several months preparing for possible storm damage to Air Force satellites. Crews practiced comprehensive techniques to limit storm damage and honed their responses to satellite hazards. "We prepared for the worst and were pleased the storm did not directly threaten our space assets," said Major General Gerald Perryman, commander of 14th Air Force and component commander, U.S. Air Force Space Operations, U.S. Space Command. "America absolutely depends on its commercial and military space assets. We erred on the side of caution to protect those assets and are pleased to report that our space forces are on-station and healthy." Each November the Earth passes through the debris trail of comet Tempel- Tuttle; but every 32-33 years it passes through the densest portion of the comet's debris, which significantly increases the number of meteoroids near the Earth. The last Leonids storm occurred in 1966 when there weren't as many satellites on orbit or the technology to gather detailed meteoroid data. Predicting the number and location of Leonids meteoroids is not easy, according to Air Force officials. This year, impact expectations ranged from negligible to serious. As a result, satellite operation crews prepared for the worst. Even so, Air Force officials did not expect any DoD satellites to lose complete capabilities during the storm, but were ready to carry on vital space missions before, during and after the storm. Fourteenth Air Force encompasses all U.S. Air Force space forces. Its operations include global ballistic missile warning, space surveillance, satellite control, space-based navigation and communications, and spacelift generation and range operations.