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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185659.jpg)James Dean‏Подлинная учетная запись @flatoday_jdean (https://twitter.com/flatoday_jdean) 8 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/flatoday_jdean/status/1026462330681532416)

... Lockheed reports fourth #AEHF (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF?src=hash) bird recently shipped to Cape for October launch from LC41 on ULA Atlas V.

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ЦитироватьPOWERFUL COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE FOR U.S. AND ALLIES SHIPPED FOR LAUNCH
Fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite will create global capability

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Lockheed Martin built and tested the fourth AEHF satellite in Sunnyvale, California, before shipping it for launch. Two other satellites are in production.

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Aug. 6, 2018 – Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) shipped the fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) military communications satellite July 27 to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, where it will be prepared for an October liftoff aboard an Atlas V (http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Launch.shtml#/25/) rocket.

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"Four AEHF satellites in orbit means protected global connectivity for those who need it most, from the president to deployed soldiers," said Michael Cacheiro, Lockheed Martin vice president of Protected Communications. "We offer powerful end-to-end systems so that more operational users can have assured connectivity in contested environments. Delivering this fourth satellite in orbit will be critical to the Air Force, as it will connect all four satellites on orbit, forming a geostationary ring to provide uninterrupted global communications."

AEHF communications are jam-proof and offer low probability of detection or interception, and the four-satellite constellation will be able to deliver that capability worldwide.

The satellite enables military communications with real-time video, battlefield maps and targeting data, boosted by a five-fold increase in individual user data rates. This delivery comes at a time when more troops are on the cusp of using AEHF's benefits with a new generation of terminals that will soon be available based on both DOD and commercial models.

The AEHF (http://www.lockheedmartin.com/aehf) system provides vastly improved global, survivable, highly secure, protected communications for strategic command and tactical warfighters operating on ground, sea and air platforms. The system also serves international partners including Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. A single AEHF satellite provides greater total capacity than the entire legacy five-satellite Milstar (http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2012/february/0210-ss-milstar.html) constellation.

Lockheed Martin is under contract to deliver six AEHF satellites and the Mission Control Segment. The first three AEHF satellites are on orbit, and AEHF-5 and -6 are progressing on schedule. All satellites are assembled at the company's Sunnyvale, California, facility.

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ЦитироватьAEHF-4 Arrives in Florida, Prepares for Launch
SMC Public Affairs / Published August 15, 2018
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LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --
The U.S. Air Force's Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) program completed a major program milestone on July 27, successfully delivering the AEHF-4 satellite to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

"AEHF-4 delivery and launch marks a significant milestone in fulfilling our communication commitment to the highest priority Department of Defense ground, sea, and air missions. It's an important asset for the warfighter and will be employed for years to come." said Lt. Gen. John Thompson, Space and Missiles Systems Center commander and Air Force program executive officer for space.

The delivery of AEHF-4 sets the path for final checkout of the space vehicle before launch. The satellite will be processed in the Astrotech Space Operations processing facility.

A combined government and contractor team is already executing the final ground activities including a Launch Base Confidence Test to verify satellite integrity after shipment, an intersegment test to verify communication compatibility from the satellite to the ground operations center, and the final battery reconditioning for launch. Following these activities, the satellite will be fueled and prepared for integration with the Atlas V launch vehicle.

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"The entire AEHF team met a number of program objectives leading to this important milestone" added Col. David Ashley, chief, Protected SATCOM Division. "There is great enthusiasm and excitement across our entire workforce." The AEHF-4 satellite is scheduled for launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Oct. 5.

The satellite was transported from the Lockheed Martin satellite integration facility in Sunnyvale, California, via a C-5 Galaxy aircraft. The C-5 crew from the 22nd Airlift Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, California, ensured the satellite was transported safely and according to the time sensitive schedule. The security support provided by the 129th Rescue Wing, California Air National Guard, was essential to the success of the mission. "Safe transport of the AEHF satellite was paramount and the total government and contractor team worked tirelessly to ensure mission success," Thompson said.

The AEHF constellation is designed to replace the Milstar satellite constellation. AEHF will continue to provide survivable, global, secure, protected, and jam-resistant communications for high-priority military ground, sea, and air assets.

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A combined team of U.S. Air Force personnel and civilian ground support specialists load an Advanced Extremely High Frequency-4 communication satellite onto a Travis Air Force Base C-5M Super Galaxy, July 26 at Moffett Federal Airfield, Cailf. The satellite is headed to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The AEHF is a joint service communications satellite and provides global, secure, protected, survivable and jam-resistant communications for high-priority military ground, sea and air assets. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Heide Couch)

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ЦитироватьAir Force releases new target dates for upcoming military launches
September 7, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/09/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

...
The AEHF 4 spacecraft is poised to join the Air Force's fleet of Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellites with a launch scheduled from Cape Canaveral on Oct. 17 aboard a ULA Atlas 5 rocket.

The launch window opens shortly after midnight EDT (0400 GMT) on Oct. 17. The Atlas 5 rocket set to launch the AEHF 4 satellite will be powered by five strap-on solid rocket boosters — along with its RD-180 main engine — the biggest version of ULA's workhorse launcher.

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Built by Lockheed Martin, the AEHF satellites in geostationary orbit more than 22,000 miles (nearly 36,000 kilometers) above the equator provide secure, jam-proof communications for military commanders, government leaders and deployed forces. With four AEHF satellites in orbit, the encrypted network will have global reach, fully replacing the Air Force's aging Milstar system.

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The AEHF 4 satellite after the completion of acoustic testing. Credit: Lockheed Martin

"Four AEHF satellites in orbit means protected global connectivity for those who need it most, from the president to deployed soldiers," said Michael Cacheiro, Lockheed Martin vice president of protected communications. "We offer powerful end-to-end systems so that more operational users can have assured connectivity in contested environments."

The AEHF 4 satellite arrived at Cape Canaveral on July 27 to begin final pre-launch testing, fueling and processing before its October liftoff.

"Delivering this fourth satellite in orbit will be critical to the Air Force, as it will connect all four satellites on orbit, forming a geostationary ring to provide uninterrupted global communications," Cacheiro said in a statement.

A fifth AEHF satellite is also being prepared for a potential launch on an Atlas 5 rocket next year, but that mission does not have a confirmed target launch date.
...

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ЦитироватьATLAS V TO LAUNCH AEHF-4

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• Rocket: Atlas V 551
• Mission: AEHF-4
• Launch Location: Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida 

Mission Information: United Launch Alliance will use an Atlas V 551 rocket to launch the fourth communications satellite in the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) series for the U.S. Air Force.

AEHF satellites provide highly-secure, jam-proof connectivity between U.S. national leadership and deployed military forces. Atlas V rockets successfully launched the first three AEHF satellites in 2010, 2012 and 2013 as the new constellation was formed in geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles above Earth.

Launch Notes: This will be 131st mission for United Launch Alliance and our 50th launch for the Air Force. It is the 79th for an Atlas V rocket and the 9th in the 551 configuration.

Launch Updates: To keep up to speed with updates to the launch countdown, dial the ULA launch hotline at 1-877-852-4321 or join the conversation at www.facebook.com/ulalaunch, (https://www.facebook.com/ulalaunch) twitter.com/ulalaunch  (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch)and instagram.com/ulalaunch (https://instagram.com/ulalaunch); hashtag #AtlasV
 
Go Atlas! Go Centaur! Go AEHF-4!

ЦитироватьAV-073

[/li]
• Height: 197 feet
• Weight: 1.3 million pounds
• Thrust: 2.7 million pounds
  

The Atlas V 551

United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket is a workhorse for the U.S. military, intelligence community and scientific researchers, having flown 78 successful missions since debuting in August 2002. Developed as a modular vehicle, each Atlas V is tailored to the needs of its passenger by adding as many as five side-mounted solid rocket boosters for increased lift performance and a variety of available payload fairings in various diameters and lengths to protect satellites during atmospheric ascent. The high-energy Centaur upper stage, which has been used to send spacecraft to every planet in our solar system, is incorporated into Atlas V to deliver the payloads to their intended destinations.

For the AEHF-4 mission, the Atlas V 551 variant will be used. The rocket features a kerosene-fueled common core booster, five strap-on solid rocket motors, the hydrogen-fueled Centaur upper stage and a five-meter-diameter payload fairing. This configuration launched the New Horizons spacecraft to Pluto and the Juno probe to Jupiter, plus the Navy's five MUOS satellites and the Air Force's AFSPC-11 mission.

Цитировать• Launch Date: Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018
• Launch Time: 12:15-2:15 a.m. EDT
• Launch Broadcast: Tune in at Oct. 16 at 11:55 p.m. EDT

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184881.jpg)Glenn Davis‏ @GDavisPhotos (https://twitter.com/GDavisPhotos) 1 дн. назад (https://twitter.com/GDavisPhotos/status/1048600414273384449)

What an amazing experience getting to drive one of the @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) escort vehicles through the middle of the night as we transported #AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash) to the Vertical Integration Facility. (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125616.png)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125513.png)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125286.png) . . .
@torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) #STEM (https://twitter.com/hashtag/STEM?src=hash) #coolestjob (https://twitter.com/hashtag/coolestjob?src=hash) #Space (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Space?src=hash) #technology (https://twitter.com/hashtag/technology?src=hash) #rocket (https://twitter.com/hashtag/rocket?src=hash) #NASA (https://twitter.com/hashtag/NASA?src=hash) #NASA60th (https://twitter.com/hashtag/NASA60th?src=hash)

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67649.jpg)Ken Kremer‏ @ken_kremer (https://twitter.com/ken_kremer) 6 окт. (https://twitter.com/ken_kremer/status/1048366022544244738)

Advanced Extremely High Frequency-4 #AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash) jamresistant national security comsat for @usairforce (https://twitter.com/usairforce) #SpaceCommand (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceCommand?src=hash) rolled overnight inside 5m payload fairing to #pad41 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/pad41?src=hash) for Oct17 launch by @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) most powerful @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) #ULA (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ULA?src=hash) #USAF (https://twitter.com/hashtag/USAF?src=hash). Cred @ken_kremer (https://twitter.com/ken_kremer) http://www.facebook.com/spaceupclose321/ ... (https://t.co/FZYKyP58sU)

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184882.jpg)Emre Kelly‏Подлинная учетная запись @EmreKelly (https://twitter.com/EmreKelly) 5 окт. (https://twitter.com/EmreKelly/status/1048244457789972480)

Launch hazard area issued for upcoming 10/17 ULA #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) launch from CCAFS. Two-hour window to launch AEHF-4 opens at 0015 ET (0415 UTC). Rocket will be set to its most powerful 551 configuration.

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg)ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 15 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1050755101323857925)

The ULA Launch Readiness Review (LRR) was completed today for our #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) launch of the AEHF-4 spacecraft on Wed., 10/17 at 12:15am (EDT) from Cape Canaveral, Fla.
#AEHF4Road2Launch (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4Road2Launch?src=hash)

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ЦитироватьNAVAREA IV 850/2018 (11,25,26)

WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   170415Z TO 170642Z OCT, ALTERNATE
   180411Z TO 180638Z OCT IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-39N 080-38W, 28-42N 080-32W,
   28-38N 079-43W, 28-29N 079-43W,
   28-30N 080-34W.
   B. 28-38N 079-43W, 28-34N 078-42W,
   28-28N 078-42W, 28-29N 079-43W.
   C. 27-55N 070-11W, 27-34N 067-30W,
   27-21N 067-33W, 27-41N 070-14W.
   D. 24-02N 049-47W, 23-27N 047-45W,
   23-07N 047-53W, 23-43N 049-53W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 180738Z OCT 18.

( 120841Z OCT 2018 )

ЦитироватьAtlas V AEHF-4 Mission Profile

United Launch Alliance (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnrGPRKAg1PgvuSHrRIl3jg)

Опубликовано: 12 окт. 2018 г.

United Launch Alliance will use an Atlas V 551 rocket to launch the fourth communications satellite in the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) series for the U.S. Air Force. The launch is scheduled for 10/17. The window opens at 12:15 a.m. EDT.

AEHF satellites provide highly-secure, jam-proof connectivity between U.S. national leadership and deployed military forces. Atlas V rockets successfully launched the first three AEHF satellites in 2010, 2012 and 2013 as the new constellation was formed in geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles above Earth.

This will be 131st mission for United Launch Alliance and our 50th launch for the Air Force. It is the 79th for an Atlas V rocket and the 9th in the 551 configuration.

ЦитироватьLIVE UPDATES

Oct. 12 -- LRR completed

Welcome to our Live Launch Updates Blog for the AEHF-4 mission, bringing you official and timely information during the Atlas V rocket's countdown and flight.

Liftoff of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the Air Force's AEHF-4 communications satellite from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida is scheduled for 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 UTC) on Wednesday.

The Launch Readiness Review, moderated by Bill Cullen, ULA's AEHF-4 launch director, was completed this morning. Managers from ULA and the Air Force assessed the readiness of the rocket, payload and mission assets, discussed the status of pre-flight processing work, heard technical overviews of the countdown and flight, and previewed the early weather forecast.

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At the conclusion of the meeting, senior leaders were polled and gave a unanimous "go" for launch. Officials then signed the Launch Readiness Certificate.

Join us for live reports during the Atlas V's journey to the launch pad on Monday and then Tuesday evening during the countdown.

Our automatically-refreshing blog -- coming to you from the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center -- will bring you countdown coverage beginning at 5:15 p.m. EDT (2115 UTC) on Tuesday.

The official launch weather forecast, according to the 45th Weather Squadron, calls for an 80 percent chance of favorable conditions for the liftoff, with scattered low- and high-level clouds, a chance of isolated showers in the area, southeasterly winds at 10 knots, and a temperature nearly 80 degrees F. The only concern for a launch weather rule violation will be cumulus clouds.

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ЦитироватьOct. 13 -- Launch preview

United Launch Alliance is using the Atlas V 551 rocket, with a five-meter-diameter payload fairing and a full complement of five strap-on solid rocket rockets, to launch the fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-4) communications spacecraft into an optimized geosynchronous transfer orbit for the U.S. Air Force. Liftoff is planned for early Wednesday at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 UTC).

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Leaving the pad on 2.6 million pounds of thrust from the combined power of the kerosene-fueled first stage main engine and all five solid boosters, the Atlas V will perform pitch, yaw and roll maneuvers to align with a due east heading along a flight azimuth of 90.7 degrees.

The vehicle will hit Mach 1, the speed of sound, in 35 seconds and pass through Max Q, the region of maximum dynamic pressure, at 48 seconds.

The solid boosters will burn out and separate in less than two minutes. The payload fairing that protected the satellite during atmospheric ascent will be jettisoned at the edge of space three-and-a-half minutes into flight.

Cutoff of the main engine and staging occurs four-and-a-half minutes after launch, allowing the cryogenic Centaur upper stage to ignite for a 7-minute initial burn to reach a preliminary parking orbit. A brief 11-minute coast through space sets up the Centaur to perform another 6-minute burn that accelerates the payload into a highly elliptical intermediate orbit.

Centaur then goes into its long-duration coast mode for nearly three hours to reach the high end of the orbit. A third firing of the RL10 engine, lasting more than a minute-and-a-half, will raise the orbit's low point and reduce inclination relative to the equator.

Spacecraft separation is expected at T+plus 3 hours and 33 minutes in an optimized orbit with an apogee of 19,060 nautical miles, a perigee of 4,813 miles and inclination of 12.8 degrees. ULA and the AEHF program produced this ascent profile to maximize mission flexibility over the satellite's lifetime.

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For an animated preview of what to expect after liftoff, see our Mission Profile (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir6zIbHGTuA) video.

ЦитироватьТрансляция пуска на ТыТрубе

youtube.com/watch?v=8V0H9hB7PnE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V0H9hB7PnE)

ЦитироватьOct. 14 -- Mission preview

Following successful launches of the first three Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellites for the U.S. Air Force aboard Atlas V rockets in 2010, 2012 and 2013, United Launch Alliance will use an Atlas V 551 rocket to launch AEHF-4 on Wednesday from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Liftoff is scheduled for 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 UTC) at the opening of a two-hour window.

The Atlas V 551 rocket will deliver AEHF-4 into an optimized, high-energy geosynchronous transfer orbit that will require the satellite to expend less fuel to reach its operational orbit.

Спойлер

AEHF-4 will be a secure communications relay to provide the highest levels of information protection to the nation's most critical users. The Lockheed Martin A2100 satellite gives senior leadership with a survivable line of communications to tactical and strategic military forces in all levels of conflict, including nuclear war.

AEHF communications feature encryption, low probability of intercept and detection, jammer resistance and the ability to penetrate the electro-magnetic interference caused by nuclear weapons to route real-time video, maps and targeting data to users on land, at sea or in the air.

The AEHF system is composed of three segments: the satellites, mission control and the users' terminals. The segments will provide communications in a specified set of data rates from 75 bps to approximately 8 Mbps. The space segment consists of a cross-linked constellation of four satellites. The mission control segment controls satellites on orbit, monitors satellite health and provides communications system planning and monitoring. This segment is highly survivable, with both fixed and mobile control stations. System uplinks and crosslinks will operate in the extremely high frequency range and downlinks in the super high frequency range. The terminal segment includes fixed and ground mobile terminals, ship and submarine terminals and airborne terminals used by the U.S. and international partners.

"This fourth satellite will complete a worldwide ring of AEHF satellites to deliver global extended data rate (XDR) coverage for the U.S. Air Force and for the partner nations – Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom – that also connect to the AEHF network," said Mike Cacheiro, Lockheed Martin vice president of protected communications. "The Silicon Valley-based team that built this satellite can't wait to see it lift off. And in the meantime, we're making great progress on producing the fifth and sixth satellites in the constellation."

The AEHF team includes the Air Force's Military Satellite Communications Systems Directorate at the Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale, California, as the AEHF prime contractor, space and ground segments provider as well as system integrator, with Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Redondo Beach, California, as the payload provider.

For more information, see the Air Force Space Command fact sheet (https://www.afspc.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/249024/advanced-extremely-high-frequency-system/), visit the Lockheed Martin website (https://lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/aehf.html) or download the Northrop Grumman payload data sheet (http://www.northropgrumman.com/Capabilities/AdvancedEHFPayloads/Documents/pageDocs/AEHF_datasheet.pdf).

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ЦитироватьMonday @ 9:45 a.m. EDT (1345 UTC)

Final preparations are underway for this morning's rollout of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from its assembly building to the pad at Cape Canaveral's Space Launch Complex 41.
The transfer will cover a distance of one-third-of-a-mile and position the rocket for its countdown and liftoff to deliver the Air Force's AEHF-4 military communications satellite into orbit early Wednesday.
A weather briefing from the Air Force's 45th Weather Squadron has verified conditions are favorable for the move, which is expected to begin shortly.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184877.jpg)Dane Drefke‏ @DaneDrefke (https://twitter.com/DaneDrefke) 51 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/DaneDrefke/status/1051840972798251013)

All preps complete. Ready to roll!
@ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno)

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ЦитироватьMonday @ 10:18 a.m. EDT (1418 UTC)

Following a readiness check of systems' status by ULA Launch Conductor Ed Kitta, ULA Launch Director Bill Cullen has authorized the rollout to begin.


Monday @ 10:22 a.m. EDT (1422 UTC)

Rollout of the Atlas V rocket for the AEHF-4 launch is underway with first motion of the mobile launch platform departing the Vertical Integration Facility.

The VIF is a 30-story building where the rocket stages and payload were put together for this mission aboard the Mobile Launch Platform. The MLP will travel to the pad with the help of undercarriage railcars and trackmobile machines that push the entire 1.9-million-pound platform and rocket along tracks up the hill to the pad.

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The convoy is led by two boxcars, called the PVan and GVan. The payload support van houses AEHF-4 ground equipment such as the electrical and communication interfaces between the spacecraft systems and the launch pad throughout the countdown. The ground van supports the launch vehicle with a dedicated set of control electronics.

Bringing up the rear are two portable environmental control system trailers that supply conditioned air to the rocket's compartments and payload fairing during rollout.

The Atlas V rocket will launch the AEHF-4 spacecraft for the Air Force on Wednesday morning from Cape Canaveral. The two-hour launch window opens at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 UTC).

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Monday @ 10:37 a.m. EDT (1437 UTC)

The Atlas V rocket is headed to the launch pad. Photo by United Launch Alliance
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Monday @ 10:46 a.m. EDT (1446 UTC)

The Atlas V rocket is headed to the launch pad. Photo by United Launch Alliance
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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg)ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 24 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1051852559894208512)

The #AEHF4Road2Launch (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4Road2Launch?src=hash) #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) is on its way to the launch pad for launch 10/17

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ЦитироватьMonday @ 10:50 a.m. EDT (1450 UTC)

This launch will mark the 50th mission that United Launch Alliance has performed for the U.S. Air Force, launching communications, navigation and missile warning satellites, weather observatories and more since 2007.

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More than half of the missions have used the Atlas V rocket, while others flew on Delta II and Delta IV, including the first operational Delta IV Heavy.

All but two originated from Cape Canaveral in Florida, with a pair of polar-orbiting weather craft launching from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

A wide range of orbits were achieved during the 49 Air Force launches so far, extending from low Earth orbit, to medium Earth orbit for the GPS constellation, transfer orbits and even direct insertion into geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles up.

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Monday @ 11:10 a.m. EDT (1510 UTC)

The Atlas V rocket has completed the first 1,800 feet on its journey into space, traveling by rail from the Vertical Integration Facility to the Space Launch Complex 41 pad for Tuesday night's countdown to liftoff of AEHF-4, a protected communications relay station in space for the U.S. military and allies.

Спойлер

Over the next few hours, umbilical connections will be made with launch pad systems, the environmental control system feeding conditioned air to the rocket and payload will be switched to facility supplies to allow the portable trailers used during rollout to be unplugged and moved away, and the first stage will be loaded with 25,000 gallons of RP-1 fuel, a highly refined kerosene.

The launch countdown will begin Tuesday at 5:25 p.m. EDT (2125 UTC), leading to a liftoff nearly seven hours later at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 UTC) on Wednesday.

Our live countdown updates will begin on this page on Tuesday at 5:15 p.m. EDT.

The live ULA webcast of the launch begins Tuesday at 11:55 p.m. EDT and will be viewable on this page.

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Photo by United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220111.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg)Tory Bruno‏Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 3 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1051820606658736128)

Everything is looking good for this week's launch

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171216.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg)Tory Bruno‏Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1051833564222746625)

Pgo at 80%.
#AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg)Tory Bruno‏Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 38 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1051858114239062017)

#AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash) has completed roll and is being secured at the pad


(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg)ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 23 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1051862081861910528)

The #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) is at the pad! Scheduled for launch Wed. 10/17. Follow along on our live launch blog http://bit.ly/av_aehf4  (https://t.co/oISw4j6TJY).
#AEHF4Road2Launch (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4Road2Launch?src=hash)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171201.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184877.jpg)Dane Drefke‏ @DaneDrefke (https://twitter.com/DaneDrefke) 39 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/DaneDrefke/status/1051858422277332992)

Beautiful but HOT today. Rolling to the pad. @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dpjzp4WVAAAXzJ1.jpg)

ЦитироватьMonday @ 1:30 p.m. PDT (1730 UTC)

See our Flickr page (https://www.flickr.com/photos/ulalaunch/albums/72157699772999831) for a collection of beautiful photos of the Atlas V rocket taken by United Launch Alliance during rollout to the pad today.

Photo by United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220094.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg)Tory Bruno‏Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 33 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1052135564328153088)

Mighty Atlas is resting at the pad. RP tanked and thinking about space. Pgo at 70%.
#AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg)Tory Bruno‏Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1052181154546085888)

Interesting trajectory tonight. All our orbits are customized. This is a GTO, but we will coast for several hours out to apogee and then do a major lift of the perigee. This will leave the spacecraft with only a small amout of remaining energy to add in order to circularize.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg)Tory Bruno‏Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 5 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1052209876699570176)

#AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171300.jpg)

ЦитироватьPhotos: Atlas 5 rocket transferred to launch pad in Florida
October 15, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/10/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

EDITOR'S NOTE: Upd ated with rollout photos.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145034.jpg)
The Atlas 5 rocket set for launch with the U.S. Air Force's fourth AEHF communications satellite. Credit: United Launch Alliance

A day-and-a-half before its liftoff with a U.S. Air Force communications satellite, a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket rolled out to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral on Monday morning.

Set to fly in its most powerful configuration with five solid rocket boosters, the Atlas 5 arrived in the starting blocks at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 launch pad after a 1,800-foot (550-meter) journey from ULA's nearby Vertical Integration Facility.

The Air Force's fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency, or AEHF, communications satellite is fastened on top of the Atlas 5 rocket, inside a 17.7-foot-wide (5.4-meter) nose fairing. Built by Lockheed Martin with a Northrop Grumman-made nuclear-hardened secure communications payload, the AEHF 4 satellite will enable video, voice and data links between government leaders and military commanders.

The AEHF 4 spacecraft joins three previous AEHF satellites launched on Atlas 5 rockets in 2010, 2012 and 2013.

The 197-foot-tall (60-meter) Atlas 5 rocket is se t for liftoff in a two-hour window opening at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 GMT) Wednesday.

More photos of the Atlas 5's rollout are posted below.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145029.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145018.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

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Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145016.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145040.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145039.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145024.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145033.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145023.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145036.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145013.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145035.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145019.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьLive coverage: Atlas 5 rocket poised for launch from Cape Canaveral
October 16, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/10/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

10/16/2018 21:46 Stephen Clark

A United Launch Atlas 5 rocket is set to launch the U.S. Air Force's fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite from Cape Canaveral. This timeline shows the major mission events planned over a three-and-a-half-hour flight to an optimized geostationary transfer orbit.

(https://24liveblog.tradingfront.cn/event/2103279749767127530/20181016184606_473247.jpg) (https://photo.24liveblog.com/2103279749767127530/20181016184606_473247.jpg)

ЦитироватьLaunch timeline for Atlas 5's AEHF 4 mission
October 16, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/10/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

A United Launch Atlas 5 rocket is set to launch the U.S. Air Force's fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite from Cape Canaveral. This timeline shows the major mission events planned over a three-and-a-half-hour flight to an optimized geostationary transfer orbit.

The 197-foot-tall (60-meter) rocket, propelled by an RD-180 main engine and five solid rocket boosters, is set for liftoff during a two-hour launch window Wednesday that opens at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 GMT).

The AEHF 4 mission will be the 79th flight of an Atlas 5 rocket, and the fifth Atlas 5 launch of 2018.

Built by Lockheed Martin, the AEHF 4 satellite joins three previous satellites in the AEHF constellation launched by Atlas 5 rockets in 2010, 2012 and 2013. With four AEHF satellites in orbit, the Air Force's new generation of secure, nuclear-hardened voice, video and data relay spacecraft will provide global coverage.

Спойлер

An overview of the Atlas 5/AEHF 4 launch sequence and a ground track map illustrating the rocket's path after liftoff are posted below (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir6zIbHGTuA).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir6zIbHGTuA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir6zIbHGTuA)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145060.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

T+0:00:01.1: Liftoff

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After igniting its RD-180 main engine at T-minus 2.7 seconds, the Atlas 5 rocket fires its five solid rocket boosters and rises away from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, with approximately 2.6 million pounds of thrust.

T+0:00:34.6: Mach 1

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The Atlas 5 rocket exceeds the speed of sound, flying east from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

T+0:00:48.4: Max-Q

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144294.jpg)
The Atlas 5 rocket passes through the region of maximum dynamic pressure during ascent through the lower atmosphere.

T+0:01:50.7: Jettison SRBs

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Having burned out of propellant approximately 20 seconds earlier, the five spent Aerojet Rocketdyne-built solid rocket boosters are jettisoned once dynamic pressure conditions are satisfied.

T+0:03:28.6: Payload Fairing Jettison

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145061.jpg)
The Atlas 5 rocket's payload fairing, made in Switzerland by Ruag Space, is jettisoned in a clamshell-like fashion once external heating levels drop below predetermined limits after climbing through the dense lower atmosphere. The Forward Load Reactor deck that connected the payload fairing's structure to the Centaur upper stage is released five seconds after the shroud's jettison.

T+0:04:27.4: Main Engine Cutoff

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145053.jpg)
The RD-180 main engine completes its firing after consuming its kerosene and liquid oxygen fuel supply in the Atlas first stage.

T+0:04:33.4: Stage Separation

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145062.jpg)
The Common Core Booster first stage of the Atlas 5 rocket separates from the Centaur upper stage. Over the next few seconds, the Centaur engine liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen systems are readied for ignition.

T+0:04:43.4: Centaur Ignition 1

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145057.jpg)
The Centaur RL10C-1 engine ignites for the first of three upper stage firings. This burn will inject the Centaur stage and the AEHF 4 satellite into an initial parking orbit.

T+0:11:51.3: Centaur Cutoff 1

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145054.jpg)
The Centaur engine shuts down after arriving in a planned low-Earth parking orbit. The vehicle enters a 10-minute coast period before arriving at the required location in space for the second burn.

T+0:22:25.2:  Centaur Ignition 2

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145058.jpg)
Producing 22,900 pounds of thrust, the Centaur re-ignites to accelerate the payload into a highly elliptical transfer orbit from the parking altitude achieved earlier in the launch sequence. This burn lasts nearly six minutes.

T+0:28:19.1: Centaur Cutoff 2

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145055.jpg)
The second Centaur firing places the AEHF 4 satellite into an elliptical transfer orbit stretching more than 20,000 miles above Earth, beginning a three-hour coast period for the mission's final orbital adjustment maneuver.

T+3:28:20.4: Centaur Ignition 3

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145059.jpg)
After a three-hour coast, the Centaur's RL10 engine reignites for a roughly one-minute, 40-second firing to place the AEHF 4 satellite in the proper orbit for spacecraft separation.

T+3:30:00.1: Centaur Cutoff 3

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145056.jpg)
The powered phase of flight is concluded as the Centaur reaches the planned elliptical geostationary transfer orbit with an apogee, or high point, of 21,933 miles (35,299 kilometers), a perigee, or low point, of 5,539 miles (8,914 kilometers), and an inclination of 12.8 degrees.

T+3:32:49.1: AEHF 4 Separation

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145052.jpg)
The AEHF 4 spacecraft deploys from the Centaur upper stage.

[свернуть]

Цитировать5:15 p.m. EDT (2115 UTC)

From the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, this is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 6 hours, 20 minutes and holding.

We are just seven hours away from liftoff of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with the U.S. Air Force's Advanced Extremely High Frequency-4 spacecraft, a protected communications satellite to operate in geosynchronous orbit.

Activities are on schedule for liftoff from Space Launch Complex 41 at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 UTC). The launch window extends to 2:15 a.m. EDT (0615 UTC), a duration of exactly two hours.

We will be starting the countdown at 5:25 p.m.

Цитировать5:25 p.m. EDT (2125 UTC) -- Countdown begins

This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 6 hours, 20 minutes (L-6 hours, 50 minutes) and counting.

Countdown clocks are ticking for our liftoff just after midnight tonight. There are two pre-planned, built-in holds, each lasting 15 minutes, scheduled in the count. One pause is reserved prior to fueling at T-minus 2 hours, the other occurs prior to the terminal count at T-minus 4 minutes.

The Atlas V rocket, designated AV-073, will launch AEHF-4 into a high-perigee, low-inclination elliptical geosynchronous transfer orbit. This orbit benefits the satellite by requiring less fuel to reach its final circular geosynchronous altitude 22,300 miles above the Earth, as explained in a tweet by ULA CEO Tory Bruno earlier today.

Спойлер

"Interesting trajectory tonight. All our orbits are customized. This is a GTO, but we will coast for several hours out to apogee and then do a major lift of the perigee. This will leave the spacecraft with only a small amount of remaining energy to add in order to circularize," Bruno said.

It will take three hours and 33 minutes to perform this Atlas V mission, from liftoff until deployment of the AEHF-4 spacecraft, and the Centaur upper stage will perform three burns to haul the heavy payload to the optimized orbit.

Our rocket variant being flown tonight is the Atlas V 551 configuration that is distinguished by the five-meter-wide composite payload fairing, five solid rocket boosters that are side-mounted to the first stage and a single RL10C-1 engine on the Centaur upper stage. It stands 197 feet tall.

[свернуть]

Цитировать5:40 p.m. EDT (2140 UTC)

This is Atlas Launch Control and T-minus 6 hours, 5 minutes (L-6 hours, 35 minutes) and counting.

The application of power to the Atlas and Centaur stages is underway at the start of today's countdown procedures. The stages are being powered up to begin launch day testing and final preparations for fueling operations.

Over the next few hours, final preps for the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen systems will be performed, along with a test of the rocket's guidance system and the first stage propulsion and hydraulic preps, internal battery checks and testing of the GPS metric tracking system used to follow the rocket as it flies downrange, plus a test of the S-band telemetry relay system.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1052316376315121664)

Personally speaking, it's always great to see the Union Jack on a rocket fairing. (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125484.png)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171350.jpg)

Цитировать6:06 p.m. EDT (2206 UTC)

Power up of the Atlas-Centaur rocket for today's AEHF-4 launch has been accomplished. Guidance system testing is the next major milestone in the countdown as we continue tracking on schedule for liftoff at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 UTC). At T-minus 5 hours 39 minutes (L-6 hours, 9 minutes) and counting, this is Atlas Launch Control.

Цитировать6:37 p.m. EDT (2237 UTC)

The guidance system test is beginning.

6:42 p.m. EDT (2242 UTC)

We are working no issues in the countdown. Liftoff remains scheduled for 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 UTC).

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg)ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1052332827235295239)

Weather is 90% go for launch.
#AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) #AEHF4Road2Launch (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4Road2Launch?src=hash) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125513.png)

Цитировать7:00 p.m. EDT (2300 UTC)

A photo of the Atlas V rocket taken a short time ago. Credit: United Launch Alliance.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220084.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184913.jpg)John Kraus‏ @johnkrausphotos (https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos) 4 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/1052279755440054273)

Which one of these birds is going to space tonight!? @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) is poised to launch this Atlas V rocket, carrying #AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash) for the U.S. Air Force, at 12:15am EDT Wednesday morning.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171315.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67649.jpg)Ken Kremer‏ @ken_kremer (https://twitter.com/ken_kremer) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/ken_kremer/status/1052310442222256128)

Beautiful afternoon views #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) rocket and @RuagSpace (https://twitter.com/RuagSpace) payload fairing launching #AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash) milsatcom just after midnight tonight @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) for @usairforce (https://twitter.com/usairforce) #SpaceCommand (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceCommand?src=hash) 1215 AM Oct 17 @CapeCanaveral (https://twitter.com/CAPECANAVERAL) #CCAFS (https://twitter.com/hashtag/CCAFS?src=hash) #pad41 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/pad41?src=hash) #ULA (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ULA?src=hash) #USAF (https://twitter.com/hashtag/USAF?src=hash) . Cred: @ken_kremer (https://twitter.com/ken_kremer) http://www.facebook.com/spaceupclose321/ ... (https://t.co/FZYKyP58sU)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171341.jpg)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171342.jpg)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171343.jpg)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171344.jpg)

[свернуть]

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67649.jpg)Ken Kremer‏ @ken_kremer (https://twitter.com/ken_kremer) 37 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ken_kremer/status/1052328835444826112)

"#ULA (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ULA?src=hash) Ready for Nightime Liftoff of USAF #AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash) National Security Relay Comsat Oct 17 on Mighty Atlas V: Pad Photos, Watch Live"-@ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) @usairforce (https://twitter.com/usairforce) #SpaceCommand (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceCommand?src=hash) #pad41 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/pad41?src=hash) @RuagSpace (https://twitter.com/RuagSpace) #USAF (https://twitter.com/hashtag/USAF?src=hash). Story/pics @ken_kremer (https://twitter.com/ken_kremer) http://www.facebook.com/spaceupclose321/ ... (https://t.co/FZYKyP58sU)
https://kenkremer.blogspot.com/2018/10/ula-ready-for-nightime-liftoff-of-usaf.html ... (https://t.co/aRHbbYxccy)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171324.jpg)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171325.jpg)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171326.jpg)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171327.jpg)

[свернуть]

Цитировать7:12 p.m. EDT (2312 UTC)

The flight control operational test is getting underway. This test will validate the control functions on the Atlas first stage main engine and the Centaur upper stage's engine by confirming that valves cycle properly and that the engine steering systems perform as commanded.

Цитировать7:30 p.m. EDT (2330 UTC)

The sun has set at Cape Canaveral as our countdown continues smoothly for launch of the Atlas V rocket. Credit: United Launch Alliance.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220085.jpg)

Цитировать7:45 p.m. EDT (2345 UTC)

An open-loop test of the S-band system used to relay telemetry from the launch vehicle during flight is underway. Also, the GPS Metric Tracking Antenna used to follow the vehicle's progress downrange is being checked.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186277.jpg)Maxar Technologies‏ @MaxarTech (https://twitter.com/MaxarTech) 19 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/MaxarTech/status/1052343523750629376)

.@DigitalGlobe (https://twitter.com/DigitalGlobe)'s #WV3 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/WV3?src=hash) caught an #Atlas5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Atlas5?src=hash) rocket on the pad in Cape Canaveral just a few hours ago. The rocket is scheduled to launch tonight (Oct. 16) at 12:15 AM EDT for a @usairforce (https://twitter.com/usairforce) comms satellite.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DpqsuZWUUAAUHio.jpg)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dpqs1LEU4AIKOz4.jpg)

Цитировать8:06 p.m. EDT (0006 UTC)

Internal battery checks are beginning now.

Цитировать10/17/2018 03:16 Stephen Clark

The first of several weather balloons have been launched at Cape Canaveral to measure high-altitude winds as the Atlas 5 countdown proceeds toward liftoff at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 GMT).

Цитировать8:47 p.m. EDT (0047 UTC)

This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 2 hours, 58 minutes (L-3 hours, 28 minutes) and counting. The initiation of gaseous nitrogen flow to the launch vehicle has started. This changes the environmental control system to supply nitrogen gas rather than conditioned air to the internal compartments of the Atlas first stage, Centaur upper stage and the payload fairing in preparation for fueling and launch.

Цитировать9:15 p.m. EDT (0115 UTC)

This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 2 hours, 30 minutes (L-3 hours) and counting. Countdown activities continue on schedule at the Space Launch Complex 41 pad and inside the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center for tonight's Atlas V satellite-delivery mission. In the past few minutes, first stage propulsion and hydraulic preps were reported complete. The propulsion preps configured the ground liquid oxygen transfer system and ground pneumatic supply systems for filling the Atlas first stage LOX tank and pressurizing the Atlas helium bottles for launch. The hydraulic preps configured the ground hydraulic pressure unit to provide for first stage main engine pre-launch hydraulic control.

Цитировать9:27 p.m. EDT (0127 UTC) – Weather remains 90% GO

In the pre-fueling weather briefing to mission management, Air Force Launch Weather Officer Jessica Williams reports that conditions remain favorable at Cape Canaveral for a rocket countdown this evening. There are no weather constraints against proceeding into Atlas V fueling operations as scheduled.

The launch time forecast remains 90 percent favorable.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg)ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1052372223938433024)

Did you know? The #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) 551 with #AEHF4Road2Launch (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4Road2Launch?src=hash) has a 5-m fairing, 1 RD-180 main engine, 5 solid rocket boosters and 1 RL10A Centaur upper stage engine

Цитировать10/17/2018 04:39 Stephen Clark

With the final hands-on work accomplished, technicians are departing the Complex 41 launch pad and heading to a fall-back position a safe distance away. This evacuation is a key step before the Atlas 5 is filled with cryogenic propellants.

Цитировать9:45 p.m. EDT (0145 UTC) -- Countdown holding

This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 2 hours and holding. The countdown has entered the first of two planned, built-in holds that are scheduled in today's timeline. These are 15-minute blocks of time that gives the countdown some margin to resolve issues or catch up work that could be running late. This particular hold provides an opportunity to ensure all is ready before fueling operations begin. The final hold occurs at T-minus 4 minutes.

At the present time, however, all activities are on schedule and no problems are being addressed by the launch team.

Цитировать9:58 p.m. EDT (0158 UTC) — Go for fueling

A readiness poll of the launch team by Launch Conductor Ed Kitta, with concurrence of ULA Launch Director Bill Cullen, has approved cryogenic tanking operations to begin once the countdown resumes tonight. The Atlas V rocket will be loaded with approximately 66,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen over the next hour or so.

Цитировать10/17/2018 05:00 Stephen Clark

T-minus 2 hours and counting. The countdown clock is ticking again, as the ULA launch team marches toward liftoff of an Atlas 5 rocket at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 GMT) with the U.S. Air Force's fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite.

There is one more built-in hold in today's countdown, expected at T-minus 4 minutes.

A thermal conditioning procedure known as chilldown will begin shortly to prepare the plumbing on the Atlas 5's mobile launch platform for the transfer of super-cold cryogenic propellants into the rocket.

Once cryogenic tanking begins, nearly 66,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen will be loaded into the two-stage Atlas 5 rocket.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg)ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1052380550424608769)

We understand YouTube is down and we are working on alternate solutions for launch streaming. #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) #AEHF4Road2Launch (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4Road2Launch?src=hash)

Цитировать10/17/2018 05:10 Stephen Clark

Liquid oxygen is now flowing into the Atlas 5's Centaur upper stage at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 launch pad. About 4,150 gallons of the cryogenic propellant, chilled to minus 298 degrees Fahrenheit, will be burned by the Centaur's single Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10 engine along with the liquid hydrogen to be loaded aboard later in the countdown.

Three burns by the Centaur's RL10 engine over a nearly three-and-a-half hour span are planned on tonight's mission to inject the AEHF 4 military communications satellite into an elliptical geostationary transfer orbit with an apogee, or high point, of 21,933 miles (35,299 kilometers), a perigee, or low point, of 5,539 miles (8,914 kilometers), and an inclination of 12.8 degrees.

The AEHF 4 satellite, built by Lockheed Martin, will use its on-board engine to circularize its orbit over the equator at an altitude of more than 22,000 miles.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg)William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/1052383210414460928)

A5/AEHF4: The AEHF relay stations, built by Lockheed Martin, are designed to provide jam-proof, secure communications around the world 10 times faster than earlier Milstar comsats; two more AEHF satellites are expected to launch in 2019 and 2020.

Цитировать10/17/2018 05:30 Stephen Clark

Chilldown of the liquid hydrogen transfer lines at Complex 41 is getting started now. This is a step in preparation for loading the super-cold fuel, stored at minus 423 degrees Fahrenheit, into the Centaur upper stage.

Цитировать10:30 p.m. EDT (0230 UTC)

Filling of the Atlas V rocket's largest tank has begun. About 48,800 gallons of super-cold oxidizer for the main engine is flowing into the liquid oxygen tank on common core booster first stage.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg)ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1052387647958728706)

#AEHF4Road2Launch (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4Road2Launch?src=hash) will launch on an #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) 551 rocket. Here's an expanded view of the rocket.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171379.jpg)

Цитировать10/17/2018 05:51 Stephen Clark

The chilldown sequence to thermally condition the Centaur stage's Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C-1 engine has started.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg)ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1052392137650839552)

Looks like YouTube is back up! (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125513.png)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125513.png)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125513.png) http://bit.ly/av_aehf4  (https://t.co/oISw4jov8y)

Цитировать10:55 p.m. EDT (0255 UTC)

The launch team has received the "go" to begin filling the Centaur upper stage with the super-cold fuel following chilldown of the system. The Centaur holds about 12,300 gallons of the cryogenic propellant for its three engine burns during this launch.

Цитировать10/17/2018 06:00 Stephen Clark

There are no major weather concerns being monitored in the countdown, with clear skies over Cape Canaveral and no rain showers in the vicinity of the launch pad.

(https://24liveblog.tradingfront.cn/event/2103279749767127530/20181017030007_272618.jpg) (https://photo.24liveblog.com/2103279749767127530/20181017030007_272618.jpg)
(https://24liveblog.tradingfront.cn/event/2103279749767127530/20181017030008_155772.jpg) (https://photo.24liveblog.com/2103279749767127530/20181017030008_155772.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184886.jpg)NASA Nate‏ @NASA_Nerd (https://twitter.com/NASA_Nerd) 10 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Nerd/status/1052395468205039623)

On-site at ITL Causeway for ULA's Atlas V 551 launch with AEHF-4. A beautiful night to go fly. – ITL causeway (https://twitter.com/search?q=place%3A082dc19740142000)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171362.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg)Tory Bruno‏Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1052397756583567363)

T-45 min. The board is green. Looks like a good evening to go to space.
#AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash)

Цитировать11:15 p.m. EDT (0315 UTC)

This is Atlas Launch Control with 60 minutes remaining in our countdown to liftoff at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 UTC). Today marks the 79th flight for Atlas 5 since debuting in August 2002. The vehicle has a 100 percent mission success record for the Defense Department, NASA, the National Reconnaissance Office and commercial customers.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg)William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/1052398801728753664)

A5/AEHF4: Now 40 minutes to launch; no known issues and the weather appears ideal, with the moon and Mars setting in the west and Orion beginning to rise in the east; a gorgeous night on the Space Coast

Цитировать11:25 p.m. EDT (0325 UTC)

Fast-filling of the first stage liquid oxygen tank has been completed. Topping mode is now underway to give us a fully-fueled, 1.3-million-pound rocket for flight. The cryogenics will be replenished throughout the countdown until the final minutes before launch to replace the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen that naturally boils away.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186326.jpg)Michael Seeley‏ @Mike_Seeley (https://twitter.com/Mike_Seeley) 8 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/Mike_Seeley/status/1052399079983116288)

Behold, the mighty #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) with the #AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash) satellite, ready to go.

The launch window opens at 12:15am (ET) Wednesday morning, in just under one hour.

Go Atlas, go AEHF4!

(Pic: me / @WeReportSpace (https://twitter.com/WeReportSpace) )

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171363.jpg)

Цитировать10/17/2018 06:30 Stephen Clark

45 minutes until launch. Here are some statistics on tonight's mission:

[/li]
• 661st launch for Atlas program since 1957
• 363rd Atlas launch from Cape Canaveral
• 250th mission of a Centaur upper stage
• 227th use of Centaur by an Atlas rocket
• 490th production RL10 engine to be launched
• 27th RL10C-1 engine launched
• 85th flight of an RD-180 main engine
• 106th-110th AJ-60 solid rocket boosters flown
• 79th launch of an Atlas 5 since 2002
• 29th U.S. Air Force use of an Atlas 5
• 64th launch of an Atlas 5 from Cape Canaveral
• 5th Atlas 5 launch of 2018
• 116th Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle flight
• 131st United Launch Alliance flight overall
• 71st Atlas 5 under United Launch Alliance
• 93rd United Launch Alliance flight from Cape Canaveral
• 50th ULA launch for U.S. Air Force
• 26th 500-series flight of the Atlas 5
• 9th Atlas 5 to fly in the 551 configuration
• 91st launch from Complex 41
• 64th Atlas 5 to use Complex 41
• 17th launch overall from Cape Canaveral in 2018
  

Цитировать10/17/2018 06:34 Stephen Clark

Tonight's launch is the fourth Atlas 5 rocket flight to carry an Air Force AEHF communications satellite into orbit. But the previous three lifted off aboard different version of the Atlas 5 with three solid rocket boosters, while tonight's mission will be powered by five of the strap-on motors.

The extra boosters will give the Atlas 5 the capability to deliver the AEHF 4 satellite closer to its final perch in geostationary orbit, reducing the time and fuel needed for the spacecraft to maneuver into its operational orbit.

Here's a view of the AEHF 4 communications satellite last month before encapsulation inside the Atlas 5's payload fairing. (Credit: Lockheed Martin)

(https://24liveblog.tradingfront.cn/event/2103279749767127530/20181017033423_946820.jpg) (https://photo.24liveblog.com/2103279749767127530/20181017033423_946820.jpg)

Цитировать11:35 p.m. EDT (0335 UTC)

United Launch Alliance will use the Atlas V 551 rocket tonight to launch the fourth communications satellite in the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) series for the U.S. Air Force.

AEHF spacecraft are nuclear-hardened satellites to ensure survivable, highly-secure connectivity between U.S. national leadership and deployed military forces, routing vital communications such as real-time video, battlefield maps and targeting data in both peacetimes and during a war.

Спойлер

Atlas V rockets successfully launched the first AEHF satellite in 2010, AEHF-2 in 2012 and AEHF-3 in 2013 as the new constellation was formed in geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles above Earth to augment and eventually replace the heritage MILSTAR satellite fleet.

AEHF-4 will be delivered into an optimized high-perigee, low-inclination geosynchronous transfer orbit following a three-and-a-half hour ascent that includes three burns by the Centaur upper stage. This orbit benefits the satellite by requiring less fuel to reach its final geosynchronous altitude.

This newest satellite will give the AEHF system full global coverage to support U.S. and allied warfighters on land, at sea and in the air. AEHF-4 ensures worldwide Extended Data Rate (XDR) protected communications, offering 10 times more communications throughput than the legacy MILSTAR constellation.

[свернуть]

Цитировать06:41, 17 октября 2018
В YouTube заявили об устранении сбоя в работе сервиса

Москва. 17 октября. INTERFAX.RU - Видеохостинг YouTube сообщил (https://twitter.com/TeamYouTube/status/1052393799815589889), что неполадки в работе сервиса устранены.

"Мы вернулись! Спасибо за ваше терпение. Если у вас все еще наблюдаются проблемы, сообщите нам", - заявили в твиттере видеохостинга.

Цитировать11:44 p.m. EDT (0344 UTC)

The fuel fill sequence is beginning. This procedure releases RP-1 kerosene fuel into the RD-180 main engine in preparation for ignition.

Цитировать10/17/2018 06:45 Stephen Clark

Final preparations of the rocket's flight control system are reported complete.

Цитировать11:46 p.m. EDT (0346 UTC)

Weather is observed and forecast GO for liftoff at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 UTC) today, according to the countdown's final planned briefing by Air Force weather officer Jessica Williams.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg)Tory Bruno‏Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 8 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1052405665262522368)

Close to the shortest weather briefing I've heard. Clear skies and gentle breezes


8 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1052406315396390912)

Pogo suppressed charged. The Board is green. All systems looking good

Цитировать11:54 p.m. EDT (0354 UTC)

The AEHF-4 spacecraft is switching from ground-fed power to its internal batteries for launch.

Цитировать11:56 p.m. EDT (0356 UTC) -- Countdown holding

T-minus 4 minutes and holding. The countdown has entered the planned 15-minute built-in hold designed to give a bit of margin to deal with any problems. Also during this time, the final readiness polls of the launch team and management members will be performed.

We remain on schedule for a liftoff at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral.

In the countdown, we have completed the fuel fill sequence to ready the first stage main propulsion system for launch. And all three cryogenic tanks on the rocket have been topped off to flight level.

Цитировать12:09 a.m. EDT (0409 UTC) -- GO for launch!

The ULA Launch Director Bill Cullen and Air Force Mission Director Michael Dolan have given their respective final approvals to resume the countdown for flight of Atlas V to deliver AEHF-4 into space. Their concurrence was made following the readiness poll of the launch team by Launch Conductor Ed Kitta that verified all systems are "go" for launch.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 17 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1052413061905244160)

LAUNCH! Atlas V 551 launches with AEHF-4!

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171371.jpg)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171372.jpg)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171373.jpg)

[свернуть]

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/30256.jpg)Tom McCool‏ @Cygnusx112 (https://twitter.com/Cygnusx112) 14 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/Cygnusx112/status/1052414404350959616)

A beautiful ⁦@ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch)⁩ of #AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash) on an #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash)! ⁦@torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno)⁩ ⁦@NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight)⁩

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171376.jpg)

ЦитироватьСША запустили ракету-носитель Atlas V со спутником связи для нужд американских военных
НЬЮ-ЙОРК, 17 октября. /ТАСС/. Американская компания United Launch Alliance (ULA) в среду осуществила с космодрома на мысе Канаверал (штат Флорида) запуск ракеты-носителя Atlas V со спутником защищенной связи AEHF-4 (Advanced Extremely High Frequency 4) для нужд американских военных. Трансляцию запуска вели (https://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/atlas-v-aehf-4) на сайте компании.
Старт был дан в 00:15 по времени Восточного побережья США (7:15 мск). AEHF-4 был помещен в специальную капсулу в верхней части носителя, которая отделится после того, как ракета достигнет заданной высоты.
Первые три спутника AEHF были выведены на орбиту с помощью ракет Atlas V в 2010, 2012 и 2013 годах. Данные аппараты обеспечивают защищенную и устойчивую к помехам связь между представителями американского руководства и развернутыми США силами.
По оценкам отраслевых СМИ, стоимость AEHF-4 составляет около $1,8 млрд. Применять его смогут также союзники США, в частности, Канада, Нидерланды и Великобритания. Ожидаются, что произведены будут еще не менее двух аппаратов такого типа.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67516.jpg)Jonathan McDowell‏Подлинная учетная запись @planet4589 (https://twitter.com/planet4589) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1052420234232127488)

Centaur shutdown, now in 202 x 22578 km x 25.85 deg geotransfer orbit, coasting to apogee


5 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1052420660172136448)

Three hours coast then another burn and spacecraft separation. I'm going to bed and will look for @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno)'s declaration of mission success in the morning.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184886.jpg)NASA Nate‏ @NASA_Nerd (https://twitter.com/NASA_Nerd) 23 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Nerd/status/1052416549640957953)

Congratulation @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) and @45thSpaceWing (https://twitter.com/45thSpaceWing) on a successful launch of the powerful Atlas V 551 with AEHF-4

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171382.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171383.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67530.jpg)Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1052421315863502854)

United Launch Alliance reports the initial phase of the Atlas 5 flight with the US Air Force's AEHF 4 communications satellite went normally. Another engine firing is planned before deployment of the AEHF 4 payload at 3:47am EDT (0747 GMT). https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/10/16/atlas-5-av-073-mission-status-center/ ... (https://t.co/9pIUji5lFt)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171385.jpg)

ЦитироватьLaunch of Atlas V551 Rocket with AEHF-4 US Air Force Satellite

Space Videos (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdF5d0UwSJJunRcRVzP1uDg)

Опубликовано: 16 окт. 2018 г.

ЦитироватьAtlas V launches AEHF-4

SciNews (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjU6ZwoTQtKWfz1urL7XcbA)

Опубликовано: 16 окт. 2018 г.

ЦитироватьAtlas V AEHF-4 Live Launch Broadcast (Oct. 16/17)

United Launch Alliance (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnrGPRKAg1PgvuSHrRIl3jg)

Трансляция началась 68 минут назад

Watch live as ULA's Atlas V rocket launches the fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-4) satellite for the U.S. Air Force.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184894.jpg)Julia‏ @julia_bergeron (https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron) 18 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/1052420139247910912)

A very Space Coast launch. My capture of the Mighty #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) leaping off of the pad to deliver #AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash) into orbit. @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) @45thSpaceWing (https://twitter.com/45thSpaceWing)

Viewed from Titusville
Nikon D3300 10mm ISO 100 F14 Exposure: 5 min. 15 sec.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171384.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184848.jpg)TomCross‏ @_TomCross_ (https://twitter.com/_TomCross_) 30 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/_TomCross_/status/1052417294100508674)

The people loved the show @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch)!
@Teslarati (https://twitter.com/Teslarati) @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) #ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ulalaunch?src=hash) #atlasv (https://twitter.com/hashtag/atlasv?src=hash) #jettypark (https://twitter.com/hashtag/jettypark?src=hash) #florida (https://twitter.com/hashtag/florida?src=hash)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171380.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184913.jpg)John Kraus‏ @johnkrausphotos (https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos) 43 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/1052414245705416704)

United Launch Alliance's #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) rocket streaks into the nighttime sky at 12:15 A.M. Wednesday morning, carrying the #AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash) satellite to orbit for the U.S Air Force.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171375.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186289.jpg)Just A. Tinker‏ @John_Gardi (https://twitter.com/John_Gardi) 13 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/John_Gardi/status/1052422470274297856)

I just love to tinker... Hope you don't mind. (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125477.png)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171351.jpg)

Цитировать10/17/2018 07:46 Stephen Clark

ULA telemetry commentator Patrick Moore reports the apogee, perigee, and inclination of the Centaur's orbit following its second burn appear to be on target.

Цитировать12:55 a.m. EDT (0455 UTC)

T+plus 40 minutes. This is Atlas Launch Control. To recap, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 rocket lifted off on time at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 UTC) carrying the fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-4) communications satellite for the U.S. military from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Following the first stage of flight, the Centaur upper stage performed an initial burn that achieved a parking orbit. A second burn then injected the rocket and payload into an intermediate orbit.

We're now in the midst of a three-hour coast away from Earth before the third and final burn occurs to reach an optimized geosynchronous transfer orbit that is advantageous for the satellite to conserve its onboard fuel supply during final positioning in space.

Цитировать1:00 a.m. EDT (0500 UTC)

The Atlas V rocket heads to space from Cape Canaveral today. Photo by United Launch Alliance.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220091.jpg)

Цитировать1:15 a.m. EDT (0515 UTC)

The Atlas V rocket launches on United Launch Alliance's 50th mission for the U.S. Air Force. Photo by United Launch Alliance.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220092.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67649.jpg)Ken Kremer‏ @ken_kremer (https://twitter.com/ken_kremer) 10 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ken_kremer/status/1052426802419965953)

Beautiful blastoff of #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) carrying #AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash) to Gto by @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) lit up midnights sky over Cape Canaveral.Quick screen shot . More upcoming . @ken_kremer (https://twitter.com/ken_kremer)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171357.jpg)

Цитировать1:30 a.m. EDT (0530 UTC)

T+plus 1 hour, 15 minutes. Centaur continues to coast away from the Earth in this intermediate orbit. Stage systems are reported nominal as the rocket performs a slow roll to keep the solar heating evenly distributed on all surfaces.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185833.jpg)NWS Seattle‏Подлинная учетная запись @NWSSeattle (https://twitter.com/NWSSeattle) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NWSSeattle/status/1052418728950947845)

A little over twenty minutes ago, an #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) rocket was launched from Cape Canaveral. GOES-16's high resolution water vapor imagery captured the exhaust from the rocket as it rose through Earth's atmosphere.

https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DprxNJpXgAEvSWs.mp4 (https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DprxNJpXgAEvSWs.mp4)
(video (https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/DprxNJpXgAEvSWs.mp4) 0:01)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg)ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 17 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1052436007289835521)

This view of today's #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) launch was taken from the nearby Space Launch Complex 37, the Delta IV rocket's East Coast home at Cape Canaveral.
#AEHF4Road2Launch (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4Road2Launch?src=hash)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171386.jpg)

Цитировать2:00 a.m. EDT (0600 UTC)

T+plus 1 hour, 45 minutes. Centaur continues to coast smoothly.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184913.jpg)John Kraus‏ @johnkrausphotos (https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/1052440386331906048)

A single RD-180 engine and five Aerojet Rocketdyne GEM-60 solid rocket motors propel United Launch Alliance's #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) rocket and the U.S. Air Force's #AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash) satellite to space at 12:15 A.M. Wednesday morning.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DpsE7XCW0AEZapl.jpg)

Цитировать2:30 a.m. EDT (0630 UTC)

T+plus 2 hours, 15 minutes. A typical rocket ascent to geosynchronous transfer orbit, which is the standard dropoff point for communications satellites, uses just two firings by the upper stage to achieve the highly elliptical orbit to deploy the payloads. From there, the satellites use their own engines in the subsequent days to fly into the operational locations 22,300 miles above the equator.

But the Atlas V is enhancing the AEHF-4 satellite's trip to space by using all of the vehicle's performance to deliver the payload with a much higher perigee, or low point of the transfer orbit, and significantly reducing inclination relative to the equator. Those actions by the launch vehicle will benefit the satellite and conserve its onboard fuel supply by getting AEHF-4 closer to its final orbit.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186304.jpg)Marcus Cote‏ @marcuscotephoto (https://twitter.com/marcuscotephoto) 37 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/marcuscotephoto/status/1052440642348085249)

#AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) and #AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash) lift above the fiery rage created by five Aerojet Rocketdyne SRBs and one RD-180 liquid-fuel engine. Image was taken using a telephoto lens and sound-triggered camera placed just several hundred feet from the rocket (Photo: @marcuscote_photo/ @spacecoasttimes (https://twitter.com/SpaceCoastTimes))

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171389.jpg)

Цитировать2:44 a.m. EDT (0644 UTC)

T+plus 2 hours, 29 minutes. This Atlas Launch Control, we are one hour away from the Centaur engine restart. The vehicle remains stable as the coast period continues high above the Indian Ocean.

Цитировать3:00 a.m. EDT (0700 UTC)

The Atlas V 551 rocket launches to deploy the AEHF-4 communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force. Photo by United Launch Alliance.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220093.jpg)

ЦитироватьAt separation, the spacecraft was expected to be in an orbit of 8,914 by 35,299 kilometers (5,539 by 21,934 miles, 4,813 by 19,060 nautical miles), inclined at 12.8 degrees with an argument of perigee of 180 degrees.

ЦитироватьК.А. пишет:
Зачем использовалась конфигурация РН 551 (ранее спутник выводился конфигурацией 531), если масса КА та же.

Цитировать"At separation, the spacecraft is expected to be in an orbit of 8,914 by 35,299 kilometers (5,539 by 21,934 miles, 4,813 by 19,060 nautical miles), inclined at 12.8 degrees "

ЦитироватьThe planned separation orbit is 225 by 50,000 kilometers (140 by 31,000 statute miles, 122 by 27,000 nautical miles) at an inclination of 20.9 degrees, with an argument of perigee of 180 degrees.

Цитировать3:41 a.m. EDT (0741 UTC)

T+plus 3 hours, 26 minutes. Centaur has turned to the proper orientation for the burn.

3:43 a.m. EDT (0743 UTC)

T+plus 3 hours, 28 minutes, 27 seconds. Ignition! Centaur's single Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C-1 engine is running again for its third firing during this launch, a burn lasting about 100 seconds.

3:45 a.m. EDT (0745 UTC)

T+plus 3 hours, 30 minutes, 7 seconds. The third main engine cutoff, or MECO-3, is confirmed to complete the powered phase of flight today. Centaur has performed its third burn that raised the orbit's low point and reduced orbital inclination for the AEHF-4 payload.

3:46 a.m. EDT (0746 UTC)

T+plus 3 hours, 31 minutes. Centaur is reorienting to the spacecraft deployment attitude.

Цитировать3:47 a.m. EDT (0747 UTC)

T+plus 3 hours, 32 minutes, 54 seconds. SPACECRAFT SEPARATION!
The Advanced Extremely High Frequency-4 communications satellite has been deployed into space by the Atlas V rocket's Centaur upper stage for U.S. national security.

AEHF-4 will join three predecessors in geosynchronous orbit to provide global coverage for survivable, protected, anti-jam communications to strategic commanders and tactical warfighters on land, at sea and in the air.

Цитировать4:45 a.m. EDT (0845 UTC)

The traditional quick-look post-flight data review of today's mission has occurred at the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center following the successful launch of AEHF-4 by the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.

Today's launch represents the 131st successful mission for United Launch Alliance and our 50th for the Air Force. This flight also marked the 79th mission for the Atlas V and continued its 100 percent success rate.

Liftoff occurred at 12:15:00.2 a.m. EDT at the opening moment of today's two-hour launch window, with winds of 6 knots from the southeast and a temperature of 80 degrees F.

Спойлер

The vehicle performed successfully during its three-and-a-half-hour mission, which included three Centaur burns. The quicklook meeting also reviewed the onboard video camera footage recorded during spacecraft separation.

Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs, presented safe-and-arm pin awards to David Kube, ULA systems test engineer, and Lee Thompson, ULA quality engineer, for their "outstanding contribution and personal dedication to the success of the launch of the fourth Advance Extremely High Frequency satellite."

Also recognized with Atlas V 551 rocket models were ULA mission manager Andy McGill and the Air Force's Col. David Ashley, the AEHF program manager, and Mike Dolan, the government's mission director.

Today's mission occurred on the anniversaries of four previous launches of ULA heritage vehicles -- one Atlas, two Thor vehicles and one Delta, including the 1963 Atlas-Arena with Vela nuclear detection satellites, the 1964 Thor-Agena with a Corona reconnaissance satellite, another Thor-Agena in 1971 with an experimental Air Force satellite and a Delta II in 2007 that deployed the GPS IIR-17M navigation satellite.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьUnited Launch Alliance Successfully Launches AEHF-4 Mission

Atlas V AEHF-4 Mission Information Page (https://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/atlas-v-aehf-4)
Atlas V AEHF-4 Mission Overview (https://www.ulalaunch.com/docs/default-source/launch-booklets/aehf4_mob_finala.pdf?sfvrsn=b1291493_2)
Photos: Atlas V AEHF-4 (https://flic.kr/s/aHsmq5vjGX)

50th Launch for the U.S. Air Force

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., (Oct. 17, 2018 ) – A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) mission for the U.S. Air Force lifted off from Space Launch Complex-41 on Oct. 17 at 12:15 a.m. EDT. The launch of AEHF-4 marks ULA's 50th launch for the U.S. Air Force; ULA's first Air Force mission was Space Test Program-1 (STP-1), launched March 8, 2007.
 
"ULA's unparalleled record of successfully launching and placing payloads in orbit signifies our profound commitment to national defense," said Tory Bruno, ULA president and CEO. "We remain the only launch provider capable of placing our customers' payloads into any national security space orbit, anytime, which we've proudly exhibited through 50 launches for the U.S. Air Force."

Спойлер

"Over the past 12 years, the men and women of ULA have reliably delivered dozens of Air Force payloads into orbit from GPS to WGS, and SBIRS to AEHF," said Gen. Jay Raymond, commander of Air Force Space Command. "ULA's unprecedented 100 percent launch success has directly contributed to our national security. Congratulations to the entire launch team on a successful 50th launch for the U.S. Air Force."
 
This mission launched aboard an Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) 551 configuration vehicle, which includes a 5-meter large Payload Fairing (PLF) and stands at 197 ft. tall.
 
Producing more than two and a half million pounds of thrust at liftoff, the Atlas V 551 configuration rocket is the most powerful in the Atlas V fleet. The 551 rocket has launched groundbreaking missions for our nation—from the critically important Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) constellation to historic science missions including New Horizons, the first mission to Pluto, and the Juno mission to Jupiter.
 
The AEHF system, developed by Lockheed Martin, provides vastly improved global, survivable, protected communications capabilities for strategic command and tactical warfighters.
 
"Today's launch exemplifies ULA's ongoing commitment to 100 percent mission success," said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs."My sincere thanks to the entire ULA team and our mission partners who made this, our 50th launch for the U.S. Air Force, possible."
 
AEHF-4 is ULA's eighth launch in 2018 and 131st successful launch since the company was formed in December 2006.

ULA's next launch is the NROL-71 mission for the National Reconnaisance Office on a Delta IV Heavy rocket. The launch is scheduled for Nov. 29 from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

With more than a century of combined heritage, ULA is the world's most experienced and reliable launch service provider. ULA has successfully delivered more than 130 satellites to orbit that provide Earth observation capabilities, enable global communications, unlock the mysteries of our solar system, and support life-saving technology.

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg)Tory Bruno‏Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 5 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1052479189637459968)

131

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg)Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 5 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1052467748951941121)

S/C Sep for AEHF-4 following launch on ULA's Atlas V 551 from SLC-41!

ARTICLE:

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/10/atlas-v-551-aehf-4-launch-us-air-force/ ... (https://t.co/X8oXE4UWQ8)

- by William Graham

Photo by Nathan Barker (@NASA_Nerd (https://twitter.com/NASA_Nerd)) for NSF. Screenshot from KSA/NSF webcast @KSpaceAcademy (https://twitter.com/KSpaceAcademy) / http://twitch.tv/dasvaldez  (https://t.co/PAqqI5TSvs)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171356.jpg)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171355.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186356.jpg)The Aerospace Geek‏ @ThAerospaceGeek (https://twitter.com/ThAerospaceGeek) 7 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/ThAerospaceGeek/status/1052451636793278464)

The @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) Atlas V 551 put on one incredible display tonight! Few things are better than the hellfire and fury of an RD-180 and 5 @northropgrumman (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman) Graphite Epoxy motors!
Photo by editor @mhaskell24 (https://twitter.com/mhaskell24) @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) #AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash) #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) #ATLAS (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ATLAS?src=hash) #USAF (https://twitter.com/hashtag/USAF?src=hash)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171396.jpg)

ЦитироватьAtlas V AEHF-4 Launch Highlights

United Launch Alliance (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnrGPRKAg1PgvuSHrRIl3jg)

Опубликовано: 17 окт. 2018 г.

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the U.S. Air Force AEHF-4 Satellite lifts off from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on Oct. 17, 2018.

ЦитироватьNew Lockheed Martin-Built Protected Communications Satellite Confirmed Online In Orbit Following Successful Launch
Fourth Satellite Will Complete Global Coverage for Advanced Extremely High Frequency Constellation

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla., Oct. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) protected communication satellite, built by Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) for the U.S. Air Force, was successfully launched today at 12:15 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 rocket. Lockheed Martin confirmed signal acquisition at 3:47 a.m. ET.

Спойлер

The AEHF system provides global, survivable, highly secure and protected communications for strategic command and tactical warfighters operating on ground, sea and air platforms. The satellite will now move into a testing phase prior to hand over to the Air Force. With four satellites in orbit, the AEHF constellation completes a geostationary ring and will be able to deliver global coverage.

"It's good to return with our mission partners to see the culmination of expertise, skill and partnership that we have worked diligently toward to make this AEHF launch a success," said Mike Cacheiro, vice president of Protected Communication Systems at Lockheed Martin. "This is a substantial milestone for AEHF, and as we look ahead, we continue to improve and upgrade this mission to deliver these vital communications capabilities to the Air Force."

AEHF also serves international partners including Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Lockheed Martin is on contract with the Air Force to deliver the fifth and sixth satellites and upgraded the Mission Planning ground system. Lockheed Martin contributed payload system engineering, mission control ground software, solar arrays and the LM A2100 spacecraft bus, which is a dependable and low-risk platform for commercial, civil and military satellites. All AEHF satellites are assembled at the company's Sunnyvale, Calif. facility.

One AEHF satellite provides greater total capacity than the entire legacy five-satellite Milstar constellation. Individual data rates increase five-fold, permitting transmission of tactical military communications, such as real-time video, battlefield maps and targeting data. In addition, AEHF affords national leaders anti-jam, always-on connectivity during all levels of conflict.

The AEHF team includes the U.S. Air Force Military Satellite Communications Systems Directorate at the Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale, Calif., is the AEHF prime contractor, space and ground segments provider as well as system integrator, with Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Redondo Beach, Calif., as the payload provider.

For additional AEHF information, photos and video visit: www.lockheedmartin.com/aehf

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьAir Force's fourth AEHF communications satellite successfully launched fr om Florida
October 17, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/10/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145043.jpg)
An Atlas 5 rocket carrying the U.S. Air Force's fourth AEHF secure communications satellite lifts off at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 GMT) Wednesday from Cape Canaveral. Credit: United Launch Alliance

A $1.8 billion U.S. Air Force communications satellite rode a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket into orbit Wednesday from Cape Canaveral, joining three similar craft perched more than 22,000 miles above Earth to ensure government leaders can remain in contact with military commanders in the worst-case scenario of nuclear war.

The Air Force relay satellite, built by Lockheed Martin with payload contributions by Northrop Grumman, will join three other Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellites to form a global network military officials say will be resilient to jamming, cyber attacks, and even nuclear war.

Спойлер

"This is the nation's only strategic and tactical protected communications satellite network," said Mike Cacheiro, Lockheed Martin's vice president of protected communications and AEHF program manager. "It's also the only system that survives through near nuclear burst and can provide communications through scintillated environments that other communications systems could not.

"So on a really bad day, you really want to have this system in place," Cacheiro said in a conference call with reporters before Wednesday's launch.

The AEHF 4 satellite, weighing around 13,600 pounds (6,170 kilograms), lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 GMT) after an apparently flawless countdown.

Powered by a Russian-made RD-180 main engine and five Aerojet Rocketdyne-built solid rocket boosters, the Atlas 5 rapidly climbed away from Florida's Space Coast with 2.6 million pounds of thrust, turning toward the east over the Atlantic Ocean en route to the AEHF 4 satellite's eventual perch in geostationary orbit over the equator.

The five strap-on solid-fueled motors dropped away from the Atlas 5's kerosene-burning core stage less than two minutes into the flight, and the launcher's Swiss-made nose fairing jettisoned around three-and-a-half minutes after liftoff.

Soaring into the rarefied environment of space, the Atlas 5's first stage shut down and detached in the fifth minute of the mission, leaving the rocket's Centaur upper stage — powered by a hydrogen-fueled RL10C-1 engine — to send the AEHF 4 spacecraft into an "optimized" geostationary transfer orbit.

The previous three AEHF satellites launched on Atlas 5 rockets in 2010, 2012 and 2013, but they flew on a version of the Atlas 5 with three strap-on boosters. Air Force officials decided to launch AEHF 4, and two more follow-on satellites planned for liftoff in 2019 and 2020, on the most powerful Atlas 5 variant with five solid rocket motors.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145052.jpg)
This still from a ULA animation shows the AEHF 4 satellite separating from the Atlas 5 rocket's Centaur upper stage. Credit: United Launch Alliance

The extra lift capability enabled by the two additional solid rocket boosters allowed the Atlas 5's Centaur upper stage to deposit the AEHF 4 satellite closer to its final operating position in geostationary orbit.

Cacheiro said the orbit reached on Wednesday's mission will allow the AEHF 4 satellite to more quickly arrive in its perch in geostationary orbit. Like most geostationary communications satellites, AEHF 4 will use an on-board engine to maneuver into its final orbit.

The cost of adding two boosters to the Atlas 5 rocket was outweighed by the benefits of deploying AEHF 4 in a higher orbit, Cacheiro said.

"The money's well worth (it) in terms of the impact to the satellite and the overall program," Cacheiro said. "It surely will provide a savings in fuel for additional life, but it's really also a question of how quickly we get to (geostationary) orbit."

The Centaur's third engine firing Wednesday, timed for nearly three-and-a-half hours after liftoff, aimed to place the AEHF 4 spacecraft in an elliptical geostationary transfer orbit with an apogee, or high point, of 21,933 miles (35,299 kilometers), a perigee, or low point, of 5,539 miles (8,914 kilometers), and an inclination of 12.8 degrees.

United Launch Alliance confirmed the rocket deployed the AEHF satellite into an on-target orbit at 3:47 a.m. EDT (0747 GMT), and Lockheed Martin said ground controllers immediately established a radio link with the new spacecraft.

"It's good to return with our mission partners to see the culmination of expertise, skill and partnership that we have worked diligently toward to make this AEHF launch a success," said Cacheiro said in a post-launch statement. "This is a substantial milestone for AEHF, and as we look ahead, we continue to improve and upgrade this mission to deliver these vital communications capabilities to the Air Force."

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145032.jpg)
The AEHF 4 satellite during pre-launch processing at Cape Canaveral. Credit: Lockheed Martin

The AEHF 4 satellite was expected begin raising its orbit to circularize its altitude more than 22,000 miles over the equator, wh ere its velocity will match the rate of Earth's rotation, giving the new craft a fixed geographic coverage zone. Other post-launch steps planned for the satellite include the extension of its power-generating solar arrays, and deployment of multiple antennas.

The AEHF fleet replaces the Air Force's aging Milstar network, which consists of five satellites launched on Titan 4 rockets from 1994 through 2003. The new system introduces higher data rates and other improvements to the Milstar network.

"When we have the fourth AEHF satellite launched oand transitioned to operatins, we've achieved our baseline constellation of four satellites around the Earth, and that will give us the ability, if we choose, to use the extended data rate, or XDR code, which is 10 times the data rate that we currently use on the Milstar constellation."

The AEHF satellites are cross-linked in orbit, allowing the spacecraft to relay signals to one another. Each satellite also carries gimbaled dish antennas to reach users on-the-move, phased array antennas with beams can be steered electronically rather than mechanically, and nulling antennas to provide "extremely high anti-jam capability to in-theater users," according to Northrop Grumman, which developed the AEHF communications payload.

"At a time when the military is facing evolving jamming and cyber threats, protected communications capabilities are more important than ever," Cacheiro said. "Advanced EHF is built to withstand and overcome even the toughest and most sophisticated jamming threats that are out there. For that reason, it is central to our assured resilient communciations for our warfighters and our commanders-in-chief.

"Advanced EHF is not only incredibly secure," he continued. "It delivers unprecedented speed and bandwidth for protected communications. In fact, one Advanced EHF satellite provides ths same capacity of the existing constellation of five Milstar satellites that we have on-orbit today.

"At a time when you want to deliver videos from our warfighters, what used to take days now takes hours," Cacheiro said. "What used to take hours for data messages now takes minutes. For voice data, what used to take minutes now takes seconds. We are truly bringing unprecedented capability to the warfighter."

The AEHF satellites are designed for 14-year service lives.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145002.jpg)
Artist's concept of an AEHF satellite in orbit. Credit: U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin

The AEHF system's highest data rate service, XDR+, will not be available until 2020, when the military services will have the ground terminals needed to use the full capability of the AEHF satellites, officials said.

"With this fourth satellite, it's gonna form a ring around geosynchronous orbit and allow the constellation to transition to XDR+," Cacheiro said. "Whether it's the president, forward deployed troops in peace or war, our promise to the customer, the Air Force, and to the warfighter is to provide systems that become national assets."

What differentiates the AEHF network from other military communications satellite programs is its ability to withstand threats.

"Our spacecraft has been designed to be strategically hardened ... It actually is designed to keep things from coming in and radiation from penetrating," Cacheiro said.

"One of the very unique elements of the Advanced EHF program can be equated to almost machine learning or artificial intelligence," he said. "We have autonomous detection and recovery, so for every event that occurs, our satellite is programmed to counter that event with a specific action.

"That's a pretty intense capability, so if there's a near event, our satellite detects it, safes itself, and contnues to support its mission," Cacheiro said.

AEHF 4 was supposed to launch last year, but the Air Force requested Lockheed Martin modify a part on the satellite to meet a new mission requirement, according to Cacheiro, who declined to identify the new requirement publicly.

The AEHF system is a joint program between the U.S. military, Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The Australian government could join the partnership soon, Ashley said

Lockheed Martin built the first three AEHF satellites in a block buy from the Air Force, but the military waited until 2013 to order the fourth AEHF spacecraft, raising the AEHF 4 satellite's unit cost to $1.8 billion. Two more AEHF satellites, AEHF 5 and 6, are set for launch on Atlas 5 rockets in July 2019 and March 2020, according to Ashley.

The Air Force has spent more than $10 billion on the AEHF program since its inception, including research and development, production and launch costs, according to Pentagon budget documents.

ULA's next launch is scheduled for Nov. 29 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, when a Delta 4-Heavy rocket — the biggest in the company's launcher fleet — will carry a top secret U.S. government spy satellite into orbit.

Wednesday's launch was the fifth and last Atlas 5 flight of the year. The next Atlas 5 mission is expected no earlier than March with Boeing's CST-100 Starliner crew capsule, which will be flying on an unpiloted demo mission to the International Space Station ahead of a crewed test flight later next year.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьСтарый пишет:
Однако мощная завеса у РД-180.

ЦитироватьСегодня, 17 октября в 07:15 московского времени с базы ВВС США на мысе Канаверал (Флорида) состоялся пуск ракеты-носителя Atlas V.
Успешный пуск ракеты-носителя Atlas V обеспечил жидкостный ракетный двигатель РД-180, входящий в состав первой ступени.
Это 85-е успешное использование ЖРД РД-180 в составе американских ракет-носителей семейства «Атлас».

ЦитироватьAtlas V AEHF-4 successfully launches from CCAFS
45th Space Wing Public Affairs / Published October 17, 2018

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/143366.webp)
United Launch Alliance's Atlas V AEHF-4 rocket lifts off from the pad October 17, 2018 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. This was the fourth communications satellite in the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) series for the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dalton Williams)

Спойлер

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/143367.webp)
United Launch Alliance's Atlas V AEHF-4 rocket as it launches October 17, 2018 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. This was the fourth communications satellite in the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) series for the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dalton Williams)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/143368.webp)
United Launch Alliance's Atlas V AEHF-4 rocket successfully launched October 17, 2018 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. This was the fourth communications satellite in the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) series for the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dalton Williams)

[свернуть]

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. --

ЦитироватьPhotos: Atlas 5 rocket lifts off with Air Force's AEHF 4 satellite
October 18, 2018 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/10/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket fired into the night sky over Cape Canaveral just after midnight Wednesday, carrying the U.S. Air Force's fourth AEHF communications satellite designed to enable secure voice, video and data links between U.S. and allied forces.

The 197-foot-tall (60-meter) rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 launch pad at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 GMT) Wednesday, riding 2.6 million pounds of thrust from its RD-180 main engine and five solid rocket boosters.

The fourth Lockheed Martin-built Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite rode the Atlas 5 rocket skyward inside a 17.7-foot-diameter (5.4-meter) payload shroud.

Three-and-a-half hours after liftoff, the Atlas 5's Centaur upper stage released the AEHF 4 spacecraft into an elliptical geostationary transfer orbit. The AEHF 4 satellite will maneuver into a circular geostationary orbit more than 22,000 miles (nearly 36,000 kilometers) over the equator in the coming weeks, joining three other AEHF spacecraft designed to ensure U.S. government leaders and military commanders remain in contact, even during the nightmarish scenario of a nuclear war.

Спойлер

Read our full story (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/10/17/air-forces-fourth-aehf-communications-satellite-successfully-launched-from-florida/) on the Atlas 5 launch Wednesday

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145025.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

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Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

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Credit: United Launch Alliance

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Credit: United Launch Alliance

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Credit: United Launch Alliance

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Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

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Credit: United Launch Alliance

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Credit: United Launch Alliance

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Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

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Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

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Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

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Credit: United Launch Alliance

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Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

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Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

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Credit: United Launch Alliance

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Credit: United Launch Alliance

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Credit: United Launch Alliance

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Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

[свернуть]

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg)Tory Bruno‏Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 8 нояб. (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1060550370705854465)

Another bullseye. #AEHF4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF4?src=hash)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/171973.jpg)

Цитировать(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/849013531240390657/-fkTqVW0_bigger.jpg)18 SPCS‏ @18SPCS (https://twitter.com/18SPCS) 4 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/18SPCS/status/1121184362559496192)

#18SPCS (https://twitter.com/hashtag/18SPCS?src=hash) confirmed breakup of ATLAS 5 CENTAUR R/B (2018-079B, #43652) on April 6, 2019. Tracking 14 associated pieces – no indication caused by collision.

ЦитироватьВВС США: отработавшая ступень Atlas-5 взорвалась в 2018 году на орбите
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МОСКВА, 25 апр - РИА Новости. Отработавшая вторая ступень американской ракеты-носителя Atlas-5, которая в октябре 2018 года вывела на орбиту американский военный спутник связи AEHF-4, разрушилась в космосе с образованием 14 обломков, сообщила в четверг 18-я эскадрилья контроля космического пространства ВВС США.

Базирующаяся на авиабазе Ванденберг (штат Калифорния) 18-я эскадрилья контроля космического пространства ВВС США занимается обнаружением, отслеживанием и идентификацией всех искусственных объектов на околоземной орбите.

"Эскадрилья подтверждает разрушение ступени Centaur (ракеты) Atlas-5, (случившееся) 6 апреля 2019 года. Отслеживаем 14 образовавшихся после этого обломков", - говорится в Twitter эскадрильи.

В сообщении отмечается, что взрыв ступени не был вызван столкновением с другим космическим объектом. При этом американские военные не уточняют, будут ли образовавшиеся обломки нести угрозу для работающих спутников.

По данным специализированного сайта ВВС США spacetrack.org, до разрушения ступень находилась на орбите с минимальной высотой 852 километра и максимальной 35092 километра.

Ранее представитель ЦНИИмаш (головной научный институт "Роскосмоса") Юрий Колюка сообщил, что около 250 разрушений космических объектов (действующие и недействующие спутники, отработавшие ступени ракет-носителей и разгонные блоки) зафиксировано на орбите с 1961 года, когда произошло первое подобное событие. По его словам, разрушения космических объектов происходили либо в результате их взрывов, либо после столкновения с другими объектами.

ЦитироватьMike Cacheiro, Lockheed Martin vice president of protected communications, said AEHF-4 reached orbit on February 20, more than a month earlier than planned.

ЦитироватьLockheed Martin's AEHF-4 On-Orbit Test Proves Successful And Marks First Of Its Kind

SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 29, 2019 /PRNewswire (http://www.prnewswire.com/)/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is excited to announce the successful completion of AEHF-4 spacecraft on-orbit test and available for Satellite Control Availability (SCA).

The AEHF-4 on-orbit test (A4 OOT) successfully activated the payload, built by its major subcontractor, Northrop Grumman, and demonstrated that AEHF-4 met all of its requirements. A4 OOT was the first ever test to have all six AEHF operational terminals communicating over XDR. The terminal types include AEHF SMART-T, FAB-T, MMPU, NMT, Global ASNT and ACF-IC2.

"This is a major milestone to celebrate with our customers at Space and Missiles Systems Center (SMC) the U.S. Air Force and our teammates Northrop Grumman, L3 Communications and Aerojet. As we turn our focus on launching AEHF-5 in June, one month early, I want to congratulate everyone involved in completing this one of a kind, high-performance network in space. This is a tremendous accomplishment for the AEHF program and I am proud of the team for consistently exceeding the customer's mission needs," said Mike Cacheiro, vice president of Protected Communications for Military Space.

The addition of AEHF-4 to the constellation provides a new capability of global extended data rate (XDR) communications. XDR communications provides data rates to its users five times higher than medium data rate (MDR) and 350 times higher than low data rate (LDR) communications. Milstar, the predessor to AEHF, uses both LDR and MDR communication modes to directly support the warfighter.

This was the last step before control authority of the satellite is handed over to the U.S. Air Force SMC where it will join the combined AEHF-Milstar constellation.

The AEHF constellation provides global, survivable, highly secure and protected communications for strategic command and tactical warfighters operating on ground, sea and air platforms. The jam-resistant system also serves international partners including Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

ЦитироватьSMC, Its Partners Work Together to bring AEHF-4 capabilities to Warfighter
By Alicia Garges , SMC Public Affairs Office / Published June 06, 2019

LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --
The Advanced Extremely High Frequency 4 satellite, transferred control fr om the Space and Missile Systems Center out of Los Angeles Air Force Base, California to the 4th Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado on May 3, one month ahead of schedule. Due to higher than predicted performance of the thrusters, as well as meticulously planned and smooth on-orbit testing, the $1.9 billion asset has been made available for operations and enabled full operational capability of the constellation weeks earlier than anticipated.

Launched aboard an Atlas V from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. on Oct 17, 2018, AEHF-4 was the latest satellite to join a growing operational constellation that provides military satellite communications to U.S. and allied forces globally.

SMC's role began with the acquisition of the AEHF satellite and launch services, and continued into the launch campaign and early orbit operations. After the satellite successfully separated from the launch vehicle approximately 4 ½ hours after liftoff, it underwent 117 days of orbit-raising operations followed by on-orbit testing. A joint Air Force and contractor team based out of Schriever AFB and supported by personnel in Sunnyvale, California performed the work until it was handed over to the operators on May 3.

"The planned duration for placing the satellite into its orbit was 150 days, but with improved procedures and engine efficiencies, the time to orbit was cut by 22 percent and the actual time to orbit was 117 days. During the orbit-raising period, the satellite was propelled by the liquid apogee engine to raise perigee and by hall current thrusters to circularize the orbit. Also, the solar arrays and payload wings deployed during this time," said Capt. Arthur James, AEHF Operations lead.

Critical to the faster pace in which the AEHF-4 team operated under were the strong partnerships forged. Comprised of orbital analysists, engineers, operators, and managers from the government and industry, the team's mission was to resolve issues and to ensure the safety and mission success of the satellite during orbit-raising and on-orbit testing.

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"This is a great partnership and a very high-performing team. The Lockheed Martin team members operate the satellite, perform engine burns, monitor telemetry and states of health, and conduct on-orbit tests. Northrop Grumman handles all payload operations to include connecting the satellite into the operational constellation, powering on the payload and supporting payload antenna calibrations. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratories provides the command and control assets to command AEHF-4 throughout testing, calibration and during day-to-day operations. Each site has SMC, Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman, and MIT/Lincoln Laboratories representation throughout launch, orbit raising, on-orbit testing and transition to operations. By maintaining consistent face-to-face interactions, open lines of communication and continuous collaboration, we were able to deliver AEHF-4 to the warfighter one month ahead of schedule,the captain said.

The team's work began with pre-launch members on console wh ere they monitored many critical criteria such as the health of the satellite and the status of the ground support systems that allow the team to communicate with it following launch. The team at Schriever provided "go/no-go" decisions for launch along with team members located at Cape Canaveral. Once the satellite separated from the launch vehicle, the joint team began 24/7 operations.

The first 12 days are considered critical due to a number of key events taking place such as the major orbit-raising engine burns and system deployments. Throughout the early-orbit operations period, the team sent a series of scheduled and real-time commands to the satellite, which allow the spacecraft to move up to its proper geosynchronous orbit as well as to "open" the payload wings and solar arrays, two key maneuvers that help the satellite function properly. In addition to sending commands to the satellite, the team sent software updates during the ascent, which provided adjustments to the satellite subsystems based on data received from the vehicle.

Once the satellite arrived at its orbit, the communications payload was "turned on" and the joint team conducted a series of on-orbit tests. The purpose of these tests is to ensure the satellite performs its mission properly and communicates accordingly with ground terminals and other satellites in the MILSTAR/AEHF constellation. AEHF-4 is the ninth satellite in the combined satellite communication constellation.

"The purpose of testing is to verify that the satellite functions properly after being launched. The team performed 14 tests consisting of 57 objectives to ensure the satellite met functional requirements, to calibrate the payload antennas and ensure the ground system can command the satellite. The test utilizes six operational terminals from the joint services (USAF, Navy and Army) and five command-and-control assets located in the western hemisphere.

"The test begins by ensuring that the satellite functions as a lone satellite. The team ensures that the satellite can receive, transmit, and operate communications with the ground system. The space vehicle also receives initial calibrations of the payload antennas. Next, the satellite is connected into the constellation, via the crosslinks, to prove that the satellite can send communications through the MILSTAR/AEHF operational constellation. The addition of AEHF-4 in the constellation enables the warfighter to conduct robust and fully operational [extended data rate] communications," the captain said.

Control of AEHF-4 was officially handed over at a ceremony held at Schriever Air Force Base. Col David Ashley, SMC's AEHF program manager, handed a ceremonial key to Lt . Col. Armon Lansing signifying 4 SOPS acceptance of satellite control.

"The agency accepting control is responsible for maintaining the health and safety of the satellite as well as making sure it accomplishes the mission it was designed for," said Lt. Scott Podlogar, 4th SOPS satellite engineer.

The AEHF program is the follow-on to the MILSTAR system, augmenting and improving its capabilities and expanding the MILSATCOM architecture. The final AEHF constellation will consist of four operational satellites with two in reserve in geosynchronous earth orbit providing 10 times the throughput of the 1990s-era MILSTAR satellites with a substantial increase in coverage for users. AEHF-5 is scheduled to launch June 27 aboard an Atlas V from Cape Canaveral.

"For AEHF-5 we will introduce a five-hour coast before spacecraft separation, which will reduce the orbit raising period. Incorporating lessons learned from the AEHF-4 launch, we expect to have an efficient and rapid time to orbit. The team will continue to launch with the Atlas V 551 engine, but have shortened LAE burns from four burns to three to reduce time to orbit. As a result, the new baseline is [approximately] 120 days to orbit, but if the system continues to perform nominally during the orbit-raising phase, the team may find ways to reduce the number of days [even more] in order to deliver AEHF-5 to the warfighter sooner," James said.

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