MISSILE AND SPACE INTELLIGENCE CENTER
 
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MISSILE AND SPACE INTELLIGENCE CENTER

The beginnings of the Missile and Space Intelligence Center can be traced back to the development of missiles by the U.S. Army at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, under the leadership of Dr. Wernher von Braun, Maj. Gen. John Medaris and a team of German scientists. In June 1956, the U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency established the Technical Intelligence Division, a special security office with a mission to analyze and report on foreign missile-related activities.

In 1962, this division was renamed the Missile Intelligence Office. This group, initially staffed with engineers from Redstone and intelligence analysts from around the country, established its presence early when chosen by the CIA to lead the technical assessment team during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

In 1967, DIA identified MSIC as one of six national Scientific and Technical Intelligence production centers. From 1970 to 1985, the organization was known as the Missile Intelligence Agency. The name changed to the Missile and Space Intelligence Center in 1985, when MSIC moved from the Army's Research and Development Community to the Intelligence Community as part of the Army Intelligence Agency. In 1992, congressional legislation moved MSIC to DIA.

The Cold War strategy of mutually assured destruction relied heavily on MSIC's analysis to defeat Soviet air defenses and anti-ballistic missile systems. Today, MSIC employees deploy around the world to provide real-time weapon expertise to aircrews and intelligence support personnel for operational planning.

THE SHELBY CENTER

MSIC is located at the Redstone Arsenal near Huntsville, Alabama. MSIC houses military and civilian employees, and provides enough workspace to accommodate missile systems for hands-on and virtual testing and evaluations. Dedicated in December 1999, the Richard C. Shelby Center for Missile Intelligence also provides a snack bar, fitness center and walking trails for employees.

Image of cement sign with label. Richard C. Shelby. Center for Missile Intelligence. Image of large operation room with lots of computers and people working.

MSIC provides our customers — warfighters, weapons developers, policymakers, and homeland security — intelligence assessments on foreign weapons systems. We use scientific and technical methods to evaluate intelligence data, and determine the characteristics, performance, operations and vulnerabilities of foreign weapons systems.

We are a DoD center of excellence, focusing on analysis and assessment of foreign air and missile defense systems, ballistic missiles, anti-tank guided missiles, anti-satellite missile systems, and directed energy weapons. We are dedicated to developing intelligence assessments that provide strategic and tactical advantages to U.S. and allied forces in all current and future conflicts.

All-source analysts at MSIC come from a variety of engineering and scientific backgrounds, which primarily include aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer engineering and physics. As part of the Analysis Career Field, the majority of analytic positions at MSIC are assigned to the Scientific and Technical Intelligence Career Specialty.

MSIC's scientific and technical intelligence analysis is vital to the security of our Nation, especially in conflicts where U.S. military strategy requires dominance of foreign air defense systems and the ability to counter ballistic missiles that threaten ground forces and civilian populations.

Image of a mobile missile launcher.
MEDIA
In this “Beyond the Beltway” episode, we take a behind-the-scenes look at DIA’s Missile and Space Intelligence Center, located in Huntsville, Alabama. An integral part of DIA’s Directorate for Analysis, MSIC provides key intelligence support to our Nation.
CNN features DIA's Missile and Space Intelligence Center in Huntsville, Alabama. In this segment, CNN highlights the danger posed by threat weapon systems that are analyzed by DIA's Missile and Space Intelligence Center.

MISSILE AND SPACE INTELLIGENCE CENTER

Missile and Space Intelligence Center, 4545 Fowler Road Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898

GENERAL DRIVING DIRECTIONS

From I-565, take Research Park Boulevard (Alabama Highway 255) south. Coming from the west, it is exit 14. Coming from the east, it is exit 14A.

Research Park Boulevard becomes Rideout Road as you enter Redstone Arsenal.

Proceed south on Rideout Road through Gate 9 until you reach the Toftoy Thruway. Exit left onto the Toftoy Thruway, following it until it ends. Take a right onto Fowler Road. Take the first right to enter the Richard C. Shelby Center for Missile Intelligence.

REDSTONE ARSENAL ACCESS

Visitors with a Common Access Card or military ID may enter any Redstone gate without prior notification.

Visitors without a CAC or military ID must be authorized in advance by MSIC Security. To facilitate authorization, visitors must provide their MSIC point of contact with their full name, social security number, date(s) of visit, company name, work phone number and employment status (military, Government civilian or contractor). The MSIC POC must provide this information to MSIC Security at least 48 hours prior to the visit. Once authorization has been approved, visitors may obtain badges for Arsenal access at the Redstone Arsenal Visitor Center located at Gate 9.

If you do not have the proper credentials to enter Redstone Arsenal, you must stop at the Arsenal Visitor Center at Gate 9 (I-565 & Rideout Road). It will be on your right as you approach Gate 9.

More information about Redstone Arsenal can be obtained through this link.