Tag: Space Force
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ULA’s Atlas V launches final SBIRS GEO missile detection satellite
United Launch Alliance was in action Thursday, using an Atlas V rocket to deploy a missile detection satellite for the US Space Force. Liftoff of the SBIRS GEO 6 mission from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is occurred at the opening of a 40-minute window at 6:29 AM EDT (10:29 UTC). The Space-Based Infrared…
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Virgin Orbit launches seven satellites for US Space Force and NASA
Virgin Orbit launched its fifth flight of the LauncherOne rocket, after scrubbing an attempt on Wednesday because the propellant temperature was deemed to be “slightly out of bounds”. That decision was made prior to the take-off of Cosmic Girl, the carrier aircraft. A nominal take off and launch occurred on Friday for the mission, named…
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Atlas V launches two experimental military satellites on USSF-12 mission
United Launch Alliance has deployed a pair of Space Force technology demonstration payloads into geostationary orbit Friday evening. The USSF-12 mission lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 7:15 PM EDT (23:15 UTC) on Friday, following a 24 hour delay from Thursday due to weather as well as additional weather delays early in the Friday window.…
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ULA’s Atlas V launches satellite-inspection mission for Space Force
United Launch Alliance carried out an Atlas V launch Friday with the third pair of GSSAP satellites for the US Space Force. Flying in its never-before-used 511 configuration, Atlas lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 2:00 PM EST (19:00 UTC) for a lengthy mission that injected the satellites into a near-geostationary orbit.…
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ULA launches Atlas V on long duration mission for Space Force
ULA (United Launch Alliance) launched its 90th flight with an Atlas V rocket and its fifth and final mission of 2021. Launching from SLC-41 (Space Launch Complex 41) in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the STP-3 mission is lofting two experimental satellites for the United States Space Force. The mission will also test several new technologies onboard…
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Space Force awards $87.5M to Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, SpaceX and ULA for testing
An artist’s conception shows Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket on the rise. (Blue Origin Illustration) The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command today announced awards totaling $87.5 million to support prototype commercial projects relating to next-generation rocket testing and enhancements to make upper stages more resilient. The awards were made under the aegis of the…
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Astra’s third orbital launch attempt suffers engine failure and termination
Continuing the iterative path toward reaching orbit, Astra attempted its third orbital launch on Aug. 28. The first Rocket 3.3 vehicle, designated LV0006, lifted off on Saturday, Aug. 28 at 3:35 PM PDT (22:35 UTC). Less than one second after liftoff, an engine on the first stage failed, causing a sideways ascent off the pad.…
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Rocket Lab returns Electron to flight with dedicated US Space Force mission
Rocket Lab conducted the 21st flight of its Electron small satellite launch vehicle, a return to flight mission following a failure over two months ago. The launch carried a satellite for the United States Space Force on a dedicated trip. Electron launched at the opening of the launch window at 06:00 UTC Thursday. Electron lifted-off…
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Microsoft and Ball Aerospace enlist the cloud to speed up Space Force’s data flow
An artist’s conception shows Telesat’s Phase 1 LEO satellite in orbit. (Telesat Illustration) How will Pentagon planners cope with the torrents of data that are expected to rain down from a constellation of satellites monitoring hotspots from low Earth orbit? Microsoft and Ball Aerospace say they’ve demonstrated that the cloud can handle it — and…
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US Space Force missile tracking satellite rides first Atlas V launch of 2021
United Launch Alliance (ULA) has successfully launched an Atlas V from Space Launch Complex-41 (SLC-41) at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to loft a new Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) military reconnaissance satellite into Geostationary transfer orbit. Following a scrub on Monday, liftoff of SBIRS GEO-5 is occurred on Tuesday, 18 May at 13:37…