The design of the kinetic energy interceptor may be improved and development test plans tweaked to take advantage of a program slowdown forced on the Pentagon by congressional funding cuts. One area of the KEI program receiving close attention is the increasingly controversial Near-Field Infrared Experiment (Nfire). Camps opposing the weaponization of space have attacked Nfire because it includes a kill vehicle that could intercept a target in outer space. But budget cuts have delayed the test by two years, and the question is, "Do we still want to do that experiment?" says Terry Little, KEI's program manager.
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