Abstract: The radiation characteristics of mid-course ballistic missiles are the basis and premise for their detection and identification. Radiation characteristics have an important guiding meaning in the selection of detection methods, sensor design, etc. Taking a ballistic missile with infrared stealth technology as the research object, and considering the factors of stealth coatings and the influence of earth shadows, the temperature and its variation trend are calculated using the finite-volume method. Combining the radiation of the missile with solar and earth radiation spectra, the radiation characteristics are presented within for missile wavelengths ranging from 0–15 μm. The relationship between the surface temperature and the radiation intensity of the missile is studied. The detection differences of different surface coatings under illumination and shadow conditions are discussed. The results show that the optical parameters of the coating have a greater influence on the radiation characteristics of the missile than the surface temperature. There is disagreement between the penetration effectiveness in the visible and infrared wavebands. Visible and infrared detection methods can be used simultaneously to improve detection capability.