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ЦитироватьATLAS V TO LAUNCH AEHF-5

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• Rocket: Atlas V 551
• Mission: Fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-5)
• Launch Date: June 2019
• Launch Time: To be announced
• Launch Broadcast: To be announced
• 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 fifth 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 four AEHF satellites in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2018.

Launch Notes: The AEHF-5 launch will mark the 80th Atlas V mission since the inaugural launch in 2002 and the 10th in the 551 configuration.

Go Atlas! Go Centaur! Go AEHF-5

ЦитироватьApr 22, 2019 18:37

Next Atlas V arrives at the launch site from the factory

April 22, 2019 -- United Launch Alliance's sea-faring cargo vessel has delivered the Atlas V rocket to the Cape Canaveral launch site from our manufacturing facility in preparation for boosting a U.S. national security asset into space this summer.

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Mariner arrived at Port Canaveral on Easter Sunday. Photo: United Launch Alliance

The Mariner ship set sail April 13 from the ULA's factory in Decatur, Alabama, for the trek to Florida's east-central coast carrying the Atlas V common core booster first stage and the Centaur upper stage that will perform ULA's next mission for the U.S. Air Force.

After docking at Port Canaveral over the weekend, crews offloaded the stages this morning. The first stage was driven to the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center (ASOC) to undergo receiving checks and preparatory steps for its upcoming vertical stacking to launch. The Centaur, meanwhile, will be integrated to the interstage adapter and lower portion of the payload fairing in the coming weeks.

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The Atlas V first stage rolls off the Mariner. Photo: United Launch Alliance

The rocket, designated AV-083, will launch the fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-5) satellite into orbit to relay secure, jam-resistent communications for strategic and tactical warfighters.

ULA has used Atlas V rockets to successfully deliver the four previous AEHF satellites into space for the Air Force. The launch of AEHF-5 is targeted for June 2019.

This will be the 80th flight of the Atlas V rocket and the 10th in the powerful 551 configuration with five side-mounted solid-fuel boosters for maximum takeoff thrust.

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The Centaur upper stage will power AEHF-5 to its prescribed orbit. Photo: United Launch Alliance

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185659.jpg)James Dean‏Подлинная учетная запись @flatoday_jdean (https://twitter.com/flatoday_jdean) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/flatoday_jdean/status/1120412889003823104)

Air Force says 5th Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite (#AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash)) was delivered to Cape Canaveral on April 20. Launch on ULA Atlas V targeted for June 27.

ЦитироватьAtlas 5 rocket, U.S. Air Force satellite arrive at Cape Canaveral for June launch
April 26, 2019 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/04/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

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The first stage of ULA's Atlas 5 rocket is unloaded from the Mariner transport ship after arriving at Cape Canaveral on April 21. Credit: United Launch Alliance

Atlas 5 rocket hardware and a U.S. Air Force communications satellite have arrived at Cape Canaveral for United Launch Alliance's next mission, scheduled for liftoff June 27.

The equipment arrived at the Florida spaceport last weekend on separate shipments aboard an Air Force C-5 cargo plane and ULA's Mariner transport vessel.

The Air Force's fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite rode a C-5 airlifter from Lockheed Martin's factory in Sunnyvale, California, and arrived at Cape Canaveral on April 20. The rocket-carrying Mariner transport ship arrived at Port Canaveral on April 21 after a trip from ULA's manufacturing plant in Decatur, Alabama, delivering the first and second stages of AEHF 5's Atlas 5 launcher.

Teams will spend the next couple of months readying AEHF 5 and the Atlas 5 rocket for liftoff June 27 from Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 launch pad. The mission will mark the 80th flight of an Atlas 5 rocket since 2002, and the first Atlas 5 launch of the year.

The Atlas 5, designated AV-083, will launch in its most powerful variant with five strap-on solid rocket boosters built by Aerojet Rocketdyne and a 5-meter-diameter (17.7-foot) payload fairing made by Ruag Space, a configuration known as the Atlas 5-551 that has flown nine times before. The five solid-fueled motors will provide an extra boost to the Atlas 5's first stage, powered by a Russian-made RD-181 main engine that burns kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants.

The combined power of the boosters and main engine will give the Atlas 5 around 2.6 million pounds of thrust at liftoff.

Workers unloaded the Atlas 5's first stage and Centaur upper stage, powered by an Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10 engine, from the Mariner transport ship Monday. ULA teams transferred the first stage to the Atlas Space Operations Center for checkouts before it is stacked vertically on the mobile launch platform at the Complex 41 launch pad. The Centaur upper stage will be be integrated with an interstage adapter and the lower part of the Atlas 5's payload shroud in the coming weeks, according to ULA.

Ground crews will hoist the Atlas 5 first stage, five solid rocket boosters and the Centaur upper stage on the mobile launch table inside the Vertical Integration Facility at Complex 41. Working in a nearby clean room, technicians will fuel the AEHF 5 satellite and encapsulate the spacecraft inside the Atlas 5's nose cone before raising the payload atop the launcher inside the VIF.

Спойлер

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ULA's Mariner transport ship carries rocket hardware from the company's factory in Decatur, Alabama, to launch sites in Florida and California. Credit: United Launch Alliance

The launch of AEHF 5 follows Atlas 5 missions that deployed four previous AEHF satellites in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2018.

The AEHF satellites provide secure communications services to the U.S. military, working together in a network the Air Force says is resilient to jamming, cyber attacks, and even nuclear war. The AEHF spacecraft are positioned in geostationary orbit more than 22,000 miles (nearly 36,000 kilometers) over the equator, using a cross-linked architecture allowing the satellites to relay signals between one another without transmitting to ground stations.

The spacecraft are built by Lockheed Martin, with communications payloads produced by Northrop Grumman.

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Artist's concept of an AEHF satellite in orbit. Credit: U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin

"The payload supports communication missions with increased coverage, capacity, and protections against electronic jamming which gives our warfighters the best advantage against our adversaries," said Brig. Gen. Steve Whitney, program executive officer for the Space Production Corps.

The AEHF network is also used by Canada, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and replaces the Air Force's aging Milstar constellation.

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ЦитироватьMay 18, 2019 17:57
Next Atlas V rocket goes vertical for launch

May 18, 2019 -- United Launch Alliance has begun stacking the Atlas V rocket for its summer mission to carry a national security satellite into space for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center.

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The Atlas booster stage arrives at VIF just after sunrise today. Photo: United Launch Alliance

On Friday, May 17, the Atlas V first stage was hoisted aboard the mobile launch platform (MLP) at the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) adjacent to Space Launch Complex-41 at the Cape to launch the fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-5) protected communications satellite in June.

The event is known as LVOS, or Launch Vehicle on Stand, and signifies the start of final pre-flight processing of a rocket for its flight into space.

This was the 65th Atlas V to undergo LVOS at Cape Canaveral.

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Cranes rotate the stage upright. Photo: United Launch Alliance

The operation began with the stage being driven to the VIF from the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center (ASOC), which housed the Atlas since it arrived from the factory a month ago. Cranes carefully picked up the 107-foot-long stage, turned it upright and then maneuvered the rocket through the VIF doorway to the waiting MLP.

The Atlas V first stage will hold the 25,000 gallons of RP-1 kerosene fuel and 49,000 gallons of liquid oxygen to feed the RD-180 main engine during the initial four-and-a-half minutes of the rocket's ascent.

The coming weeks will see the five solid rocket boosters (SRBs) brought to the VIF one-by-one and attached to the sides of the first stage, the Centaur upper stage will be hoisted atop the rocket and then the AEHF-5 spacecraft payload gets mounted on the Atlas V.
 
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The first stage to launch AEHF-5 is hoisted onto the MLP. Photo: United Launch Alliance

The fully-assembled, 197-foot-tall rocket will be transfered aboard the MLP the one-third-of-a-mile from the VIF to the launch pad for the countdown and liftoff.

Launch of the AEHF-5 satellite remains targeted for June 27.

The AEHF system, developed by Lockheed Martin, provides vastly improved global, survivable, protected communications capabilities for strategic command and tactical warfighters.

ЦитироватьULA begins stacking Atlas 5 rocket for late June launch
May 20, 2019 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/05/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

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The first stage of ULA's Atlas 5 rocket arrives at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 launch pad Friday. Credit: United Launch Alliance

The bronze first stage of United Launch Alliance's next Atlas 5 rocket arrived at its Cape Canaveral launch pad Friday, where it will be joined by five solid-fueled boosters, a Centaur upper stage and a U.S. Air Force communications satellite in the coming weeks ahead of liftoff set for June 27.

Riding on a specially-outfitted trailer, the rocket's first stage was trucked fr om the Atlas Space Operations Center at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to the nearby Complex 41 launch pad, wh ere cranes lifted the 107-foot-long (32-meter) stage vertical and placed it on a mobile platform inside the Vertical Integration Facility.

ULA workers will next install five strap-on solid rocket boosters, manufactured by Aerojet Rocketdyne, around the base of the Atlas 5's first stage. A Centaur upper stage will be hoisted atop the Atlas 5, and the rocket's build-up at Cape Canaveral will be capped with the addition of the Air Force's fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite next month.

The AEHF 5 satellite will be the sole payload on the Atlas 5 rocket when it lifts off from Florida's Space Coast.

The launch is scheduled for June 27 during a two-hour window that opens at 6 a.m. EDT (1000 GMT).

The Atlas 5, designated AV-083, will launch in its most powerful variant with five strap-on solid rocket boosters built by Aerojet Rocketdyne and a 5-meter-diameter (17.7-foot) payload fairing made by Ruag Space, a configuration known as the Atlas 5-551 that has flown nine times before. The five solid-fueled motors will provide an extra boost to the Atlas 5's first stage, powered by a Russian-made RD-180 main engine that burns kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants.

The combined power of the boosters and main engine will give the Atlas 5 around 2.6 million pounds of thrust at liftoff.

The June 27 launch will mark the first Atlas 5 flight of the year, and the 80th Atlas 5 launch since the rocket debuted in August 2002. It will be ULA's third mission of 2019, following two Delta 4 launches earlier in the year.

Спойлер

Built by Lockheed Martin, the AEHF satellites provide secure communications services to the U.S. military, working together in a network the Air Force says is resilient to jamming, cyber attacks, and even nuclear war. The AEHF spacecraft are positioned in geostationary orbit more than 22,000 miles (nearly 36,000 kilometers) over the equator, using a cross-linked architecture allowing the satellites to relay signals between one another without transmitting to ground stations.

The AEHF 5 satellite's launch comes after the launch of four previous AEHF spacecraft in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2018, all on Atlas 5 rockets.

Once the Atlas 5 rocket carrying the AEHF 5 satellite blasts off from Cape Canaveral, the launch campaign for the following Atlas 5 mission will begin in July with the stacking of a new rocket assigned to send Boeing's CST-100 Starliner crew capsule into orbit on an unpiloted test flight to the International Space Station.

The Starliner's test flight is scheduled for liftoff no earlier than Aug. 17, and the demonstration mission will pave the way for crewed launches using the Atlas 5 rocket and Starliner capsule, perhaps as soon as late this year.

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ЦитироватьAtlas V 551 takes shape for AEHF-5 satellite launch

June 7, 2019 -- It will require a substantial amount of energy to launch the Air Force's fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-5) military communications satellite to its lofty orbit above Earth, and United Launch Alliance technicians are readying the powerful Atlas V rocket that will perform the mission.

Five solid rocket boosters (SRBs) and the Centaur upper stage have been attached to the first stage at ULA's Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, completing the initial buildup of the launch vehicle.

The work follows the first stage hoisting aboard the mobile launch platform (MLP) on May 17.

The SRBs are known as AJ-60As and each deliver 380,000 pounds of peak thrust during launch. Aerojet Rocketdyne has supplied 110 SRBs flown on Atlas V since 2003 with a flawless track record.

Mating of the Centaur continued ULA's efficiency process known as OVI, or Off-site Vertical Integration. In a separate facility last month, the Centaur was raised upright and mated to the interstage adapter that will connect to the Atlas first stage. Technicians then fitted the lower sections of the payload fairing and a stiffener deck around the stage.

The fully assembled structure was brought to the VIF for hoisting atop the rocket. The OVI eliminates multiple lifting operations at the VIF and saves several days in the pre-launch schedule.

The hydrogen-fueled Centaur will employ the long-duration coast and multiple restart capabilities of its Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C-1 cryogenic engine to fire three times during the five-and-a-half-hour launch sequence to deliver the AEHF-5 satellite to a highly optimized geosynchronous transfer orbit.

With the Atlas V now assembled, the rocket will come alive with the application of power to undergo extensive testing to ensure systems are checked and validated for the launch.

Later in June, the encapsulated payload will arrive at the VIF from its payload processing facility and lifted atop the rocket, completing the 197-foot-tall Atlas V.

ULA is scheduled to launch the AEHF-5 spacecraft for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center on June 27.

ЦитироватьAEHF-5 Encapsulated Ahead of June Launch
SMC Public Affairs / Published June 06, 2019

LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --
The U.S. Air Force's fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-5) communication satellite was encapsulated ­­­June 5 at Astrotech Space Operations processing facility in Florida.

The encapsulation of AEHF-5 in the United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch vehicle payload fairing is a significant milestone in AEHF-5's launch process as it marks the completion of all major testing activity prior to launch. AEHF-5 is now ready to make the journey to Space Launch Complex-41, where it will be mated with its Atlas V launch vehicle. The launch window is currently scheduled to open at 06:00 a.m. EDT on June 27.

AEHF is a joint service satellite communications system that will provide survivable, global, secure, protected, and jam-resistant communications for high-priority military ground, sea, and air assets. The AEHF system is the follow-on to the Milstar system, augmenting, improving, and expanding the Department of Defense's MILSATCOM architecture.

AEHF-5 was procured from Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company by the MILSATCOM Systems Directorate, part of the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center. The MILSATCOM Systems Directorate plans, acquires, and sustains space-based global communications in support of the President, Secretary of Defense, and combat forces. The MILSATCOM enterprise consists of satellites, terminals and control stations, and provides communications for more than 16,000 air, land, and sea platforms.

Цитировать• Launch Date: Thursday, June 27, 2019
• Launch Time: The two-hour launch window opens at 8:27 a.m. EDT
• Launch Broadcast: 8:07 a.m. EDT

ЦитироватьJun 16, 2019 21:20

AEHF-5, meet your ride into space

June 16, 2019 -- The 80th Atlas V rocket has been topped with its sophisticated payload, the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center's fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-5) spacecraft that will provide an unbreakable line of communications to the nation's warfighters. 

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The motorized transporter delivered the encapsulated AEHF-5 satellite to the VIF. Photo: United Launch Alliance

United Launch Alliance technicians successfully performed the delicate task of attaching the encapsulated satellite atop the Centaur upper stage on Saturday, June 15 inside the 30-story Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

The operations began in the predawn hours as AEHF-5 was transported from its processing facility to Space Launch Complex-41 and parked at the doorway of the VIF.

Crews attached the heavy-duty overhead crane to the payload and deftly hoisted it into the assembly building for connection to the launcher, completing the vertical integration.

AEHF-5 was encapsulated within the payload fairing at its offsite processing facility. The composite shroud measures 18 feet (5.4 meters) in diameter and 68 feet (20.7 meters) long, and protects the satellite during atmospheric ascent.

The fairing features the AEHF-5 mission logo designed by the Air Force. The emblem includes the national flags of the U.S., Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, all partners in the AEHF program.

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The encapsulated AEHF-5 satellite was hoisted atop the Atlas V rocket Saturday morning. Photo: United Launch Alliance

The Integrated Systems Test (IST) will be conducted next to verify the electrical connectivity between the Atlas V and its payload. Final closeouts of the compartments of the launch vehicle will follow.

Rollout of the Atlas V from the VIF to the launch pad is planned for June 25 in preparation for liftoff on June 27 at 8:27 a.m. EDT (1227 UTC).

The AEHF satellite constellation is designed to keep communications flowing between the military and civilian leadership in any extreme wartime environment. AEHF-5, like its predecessors, was built in a collaboration between Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to route communications to strategic and tactical users.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/30587.jpg)Lockheed Martin‏Подлинная учетная запись @LockheedMartin (https://twitter.com/LockheedMartin) 4 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/LockheedMartin/status/1140635217633447938)

It's almost time to fly! Next up for #AEHF (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF?src=hash) is a boost from a @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) rocket. More here: https://lmt.co/2IJn4Q4  (https://t.co/CmgLBDyWc8)

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ЦитироватьSMC Ready for Summer of Launch Liftoff
SMC Public Affairs / Published June 18, 2019

LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --
Summer of 2019 heralds "Summer of Launch" for the Space and Missile Systems Center, the nation's launch vehicle procurer of choice. SMC leads the Department of Defense launch community as the organization celebrates its momentous milestones over a 31-day period.
...
Just three days later, on June 27, the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF)-5 mission, a direct insertion into Geostationary Earth Orbit, will lift off on United Launch Alliance's Atlas V using their five solid-booster configuration (AV-551). SMC ordered the Atlas V 551 for this mission, the most powerful Atlas rocket available, specifically to maximize the space vehicle's resiliency and on-orbit capability. On the same AEHF-5 mission, SMC's Launch Enterprise Systems Directorate - Mission Manifest Office, in partnership with NASA, will demonstrate two firsts: An accelerated launch integration capability via the EZ-1 satellite vehicle and a multi-manifested satellite vehicle separation prior to the primary space vehicle separation. This launch will mark the 10th Atlas V 551 launch and 80th Atlas V launch. National security space launches boast a perfect legacy of success – 76 out of 76 – due to SMC's focus on ensuring all requirements are met through rigorous systems engineering and mission assurance.
...
The future of launch awaits!

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg)Tory Bruno‏Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1141615700282400768)

Getting ready for next week's big run. #ADVEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ADVEHF5?src=hash)

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg)ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 23 июн. (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1142795118342213632)

LAUNCH ALERT: The launch of the #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) is delayed due to a vehicle battery failure discovered during final processing. Additional time is needed for our team to evaluate and replace the battery. Launch is targeted for NET Tuesday, July 9. http://bit.ly/av_aehf5  (https://t.co/VsjWiGAOLx)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67530.jpg)Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow) 3 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1143285738185920518)

The US Air Force says the launch of the military's AEHF 5 communications satellite on a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket is now set for no earlier than July 12. The mission was set for liftoff Thursday, but ULA found a battery problem on the vehicle.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/06/23/next-atlas-5-launch-delayed-by-battery-failure/ ... (https://t.co/7ObGIWzzJO)

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg)ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 12 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1144661557525307393)

Launch update: ULA's #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) rocket carrying the AEHF-5 mission for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems is now targeted for launch on Wednesday, July 17, 2019, at 7:12amET, with a two-hour launch window. Live coverage will begin at 6:52amET http://bit.ly/av_aehf5  (https://t.co/VsjWiGAOLx)

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ЦитироватьJul 01, 2019 16:56

Launch window update

The launch window on July 17 will open at 7:16 a.m. EDT (1116 UTC) and extend to 9:16 a.m. EDT (1316 UTC),a duration of 120 minutes.
Our live countdown blog will begin at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 UTC) and the launch webcast starts at 6:56 a.m. EDT (1056 UTC).

Цитироватьна сайте ULA

atlas-v-aehf-5 (http://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/atlas-v-aehf-5)

или

на ТыТрубе

youtube.com/watch?v=umKLZlYM1eU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umKLZlYM1eU)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186035.jpg)Greg Scott  ‏ @lake_sea_mtns (https://twitter.com/lake_sea_mtns) 3 июл. (https://twitter.com/lake_sea_mtns/status/1146505106281717761)

Next launch - July 17th ULA Atlas V
@ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) @ULANavy (https://twitter.com/ULANavy)

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Цитировать• Launch Date: Thursday, July 25, 2019
• Launch Time: 10:55 a.m. EDT

ЦитироватьJul 11, 2019 22:58

(Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., July 11, 2019) -- The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the AEHF-5 mission for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center is delayed, due to an anomaly during component testing at a supplier which has created a cross-over concern. Additional time is needed for the team to review the component anomaly and determine if any corrective action is required to the launch vehicle. Launch of the AEHF-5 mission is now targeted for no earlier than Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019.

ЦитироватьULA delays Atlas 5 launch to August
July 11, 2019 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/07/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

United Launch Alliance is pushing back its next Atlas 5 launch from Cape Canaveral until no earlier than Aug. 8, allowing time for engineers to ensure an unspecified anomaly during component testing at a supplier will have no impact on the Atlas 5's mission to place a U.S. Air Force communications satellite into orbit.

ULA announced the delay Thursday, citing "an anomaly during component testing at a supplier which has created a cross-over concern."

The Atlas 5 rocket was scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral next Wednesday, July 17, with the Air Force's fifth Advanced EHF communications satellite.

"Additional time is needed for the team to review the component anomaly and determine if any corrective action is required to the launch vehicle," ULA said in a brief statement.

United Launch Alliance did not identify which supplier or component were responsible for the delay, which follows a previous postponement from the Atlas 5's original target launch date of June 27 in order to replace a failed battery on the rocket.

ULA also did not announce a time for a potential launch attempt Aug. 8, but a countdown on that date is expected to have a two-hour window opening at approximately 5:50 a.m. EDT (0950 GMT).

Спойлер

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The AEHF 5 communications satellite was encapsulated inside the Atlas 5 rocket's payload fairing in early June at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Florida. Credit: Lockheed Martin

The Atlas 5 rocket is fully assembled inside the Vertical Integration Facility, or VIF, at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 launch pad. After the Atlas 5's first stage arrived at the VIF in May, workers installed the rocket's Centaur upper stage, five solid rocket boosters and the Atlas 5's payload shroud containing the Lockheed Martin-built AEHF 5 spacecraft.

The AEHF 5 satellite's launch comes after the launch of four previous AEHF spacecraft in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2018, all on Atlas 5 rockets.

The U.S. military, the president and other government leaders rely on the AEHF network for secure video, voice and data communications. The AEHF satellites are hardened to operate in nuclear war and are resistant to jamming, providing reliable global links among strategic forces and commanders around-the-clock.

Military forces from Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom also have access to the AEHF satellite network.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьВ США отложили два пуска ракет с военными спутниками
21:28

МОСКВА, 17 июл - РИА Новости. Пуски американских ракет-носителей Atlas-5 и Delta-4 с военными космическими аппаратами, планировавшиеся в июле, перенесены на август из-за технических проблем, сообщила компания United Launch Alliance (ULA).

В среду компания ULA, которая осуществляет пуски ракет Atlas-5 и Delta-4, сообщила о переносе с 25 июля на не ранее 22 августа старта ракеты Delta-4 со вторым навигационным спутником GPS-3 в интересах ВВС США с космодрома на мысе Канаверал.

В качестве причины отсрочки указана проблема, возникшая при наземном тестировании неназванного узла на предприятии одного из поставщиков. В связи с этим требуется дополнительное время для анализа ситуации, замены узла на ракете и его повторного тестирования.

Неделю назад компания ULA сообщила о переносе с 17 июля на не ранее 8 августа пуска ракеты Atlas-5 со спутником связи AEHF-5 также в интересах ВВС США и также с мыса Канаверал. При этом причина отсрочки была озвучена такой же, как и для Delta-4.

Ранее пуск ракеты Atlas-5 со спутником AEHF-5 уже откладывался из-за неисправной батареи на ракете.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg)Tory Bruno‏Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1151549257461092352)

В ответ @HRiveravidales (https://twitter.com/HRiveravidales) @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) @AF_SMC (https://twitter.com/AF_SMC)
Example of our Mission Success process. "Sibling issue": Part on the rocket is functioning normally. Another of the same part failed a test at a supplier.  This demands that all parts are suspect until we can prove otherwise. If we can't, C/A. Guilty until proven innocent...

ЦитироватьJul 25, 2019 18:00

Launch window update

The launch window on Aug. 8 will open at 5:44 a.m. EDT (0944 UTC) and extend to 7:44 a.m. EDT (1144 UTC),a duration of 120 minutes.

Our live countdown blog will begin at 10:45 p.m. EDT (0245 UTC) on Aug. 7. The launch webcast starts at 5:24 a.m. EDT (0924 UTC).

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184886.jpg) Nathan Barker‏ @NASA_Nerd (https://twitter.com/NASA_Nerd) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Nerd/status/1157000692122476544)
In one week, #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash)  is scheduled join AEHF-4 in orbit, propelled by @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) Atlas 551 rocket.  Launch is set for August 8th at 5:44am EDT.


(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/175492.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185154.jpg) Jared Frankle‏ @realChefJared (https://twitter.com/realChefJared) 29 июл. (https://twitter.com/realChefJared/status/1155937099784134656)@torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) please bless AEHF-5 with a launch (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125512.png)


(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg) Tory Bruno‏ Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 30 июл. (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1156171105155145728)
Ok.  The suspect part has been replaced

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184934.jpg) Geoff Barrett  :f09f9a80:‏ @GeoffdBarrett (https://twitter.com/GeoffdBarrett) 15 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/GeoffdBarrett/status/1157836914608750592)
Sounds like @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) is targeting NET August 8th for the launch of AEHF-5 via their Atlas V launch vehicle. @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) #ULA (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ULA?src=hash) #ULALaunch (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ULALaunch?src=hash) #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/175894.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67521.jpg) Stephen Clark‏ @StephenClark1 (https://twitter.com/StephenClark1) 5 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/StephenClark1/status/1158108196373966854)
One other item to consider: Atlas 5 rolls to the pad Tuesday morning & would be without shelter during a Falcon 9 launch attempt that evening. Launch pads are about 1.5 miles apart, but NOAA & NASA last year worried about exhaust contamination to GOES weather satellite's optics.



5 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/StephenClark1/status/1158108435252228096)
No such senstive optics on the AEHF-5 satellite launching Thursday, but it's a $1 billion-plus asset for the Air Force, which also hold the keys to the Eastern Range.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184886.jpg) Nathan Barker‏ @NASA_Nerd (https://twitter.com/NASA_Nerd) 14 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Nerd/status/1158106736676528128)
It could set up to be a busy week on the Space Coast.  SLC-41 (on the left), will host an early Thursday morning launch at 5:44am of #ULA (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ULA?src=hash)'s Atlas 551 with #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash), while SLC-40 (between 39 A & B), will host #SpaceX (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceX?src=hash) #Falcon (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Falcon?src=hash) with #AMOS17 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AMOS17?src=hash) potentially as early as Tuesday at 6:52pm. https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1158100600715919360 ... (https://t.co/nPBAZWNiFy)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/175934.jpg)

ЦитироватьAug 04, 2019 17:51

Weather is 70% GO for Thursday's launch

The first weather forecast for Thursday's Atlas V rocket launch was issued by meteorologists at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's 45th Weather Squadron today, and the outlook is favorable for the early morning liftoff.

Launch Weather Officer Jessica Williams and her team expect a 70 percent chance of meeting the launch weather criteria during the two-hour launch window that opens at 5:44 a.m. EDT (0944 UTC). The primary area of concern will be the attached and detached anvil cloud rules.

"For the launch window early Thursday morning, a few showers and an isolated thunderstorm could linger over north Florida along the weak frontal boundary. With upper level winds from the west-northwest, this could cause a slight possibility of anvil clouds to reach the area during the window," today's L-minus 4 day forecast synopsis says.

At launch time, the forecast includes a few low-level clouds and scattered mid-level clouds, good visibility, southwesterly winds at the launch pad of 10-15 knots and a temperature near 78 degrees F.

"In the event of a 24 hour delay, conditions look even more favorable, with the primary concern remaining the anvil cloud rules from any lingering showers over north Florida from the remnants of the front," forecasters say.

The probability of favorable weather during Friday's launch window is 80 percent.

Цитироватьна сайте ULA

atlas-v-aehf-5 (https://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/atlas-v-aehf-5)

или

на ТыТрубе

youtube.com/watch?v=umKLZlYM1eU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umKLZlYM1eU)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67594.png) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 20 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1158398354415599617)
45th Range in AEHF-5 telecon confirms the Range believes they are ready to launch #SpaceX (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceX?src=hash) tomorrow and #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) on Tuesday.  "In a position very shortly to say we can support #AMOS17 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AMOS17?src=hash) Tuesday and #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) Thrusday." #Falcon9  (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Falcon9?src=hash)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67594.png) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 33 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1158398805429096448)
Obviously, that should have said "#AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) on Thursday."

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67594.png) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 14 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1158404502501953539)
ULA confirms they've moved up #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) rollout by 1hr tomorrow (to 9a EDT) to allow #SpaceX (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceX?src=hash) and Range the time tomorrow to launch at 18:52 EDT. ULA also says they could have stayed at 10a EDT rollout and still have been far enough ahead to support SpaceX. #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) #AMOS17 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AMOS17?src=hash)



12 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1158405220826787841)
ULA does NOT have to clear their pad (SLC-41) for the SpaceX launch off neighboring SLC-40 (which is 1.5 miles away). #AMOS17 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AMOS17?src=hash) #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) #SpaceX (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceX?src=hash) #Falcon9 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Falcon9?src=hash) #ULA (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ULA?src=hash)



10 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1158406095062351873)
More on this, ULA says part of their decision to roll early was also so they can get through some of their RP-1 kerosene tanking ops before weather becomes a forecasted issue at 15:00 EDT. #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) #ULA (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ULA?src=hash) #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67530.jpg)Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1158391975462232070)
United Launch Alliance and US Air Force teams gave a "go" during a readiness review this morning to continue launch preparations for the planned liftoff from Cape Canaveral of an Atlas 5 rocket with the AEHF 5 military communications satellite Thursday. https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/08/04/two-launches-on-tap-from-floridas-space-coast-this-week/ ...  (https://t.co/tQqlJWHbVh)

ЦитироватьAug 05, 2019 17:46
Launch Readiness Review completed

The launch management team has given a "go" for liftoff of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-5) communications spacecraft for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center.

Liftoff is scheduled for 5:44 a.m. EDT (0944 UTC) on Thursday from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The Launch Readiness Review, chaired by Lou Mangieri, ULA's AEHF-5 launch director, was completed this morning at the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center. 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 weather forecast.

The weather outlook, according to the 45th Weather Squadron, calls for 70 percent chance of favorable conditions for launch, with a few low- and scattered mid-level clouds, good visibility, southwesterly winds of 10 knots and a temperature near 78 degrees F. The only concern for a launch weather rule violation will be anvil clouds from thunderstorms along a weak frontal boundary over north Florida.

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

AEHF-5 is a sophisticated satellite built to provide the highest levels of protection for our nation's most critical users. It features encryption, low probability of intercept and detection, jammer resistance and the ability to penetrate the electro-magnetic interference caused by nuclear weapons, all essential when communications can be the top priority.

United Launch Alliance will offer live reports from the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center in our automatically-refreshing blog during the Atlas V's rollout to the launch pad on Tuesday, plus provide comprehensive countdown coverage beginning at 10:45 p.m. EDT (0245 UTC) on Wednesday and continuing commentary all the way to the spacecraft separation nearly six hours after liftoff.

ЦитироватьAtlas V AEHF-5 Mission Profile

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220483.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/UnitedLaunchAlliance) United Launch Alliance (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnrGPRKAg1PgvuSHrRIl3jg)

Опубликовано: 5 авг. 2019 г.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67521.jpg) Stephen Clark‏ @StephenClark1 (https://twitter.com/StephenClark1) 21 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/StephenClark1/status/1158477505256448000)
Air Force spokesperson confirms they have approved the Falcon 9/Amos 17 mission on the range for tomorrow. Launch window opens at 6:53pm EDT, followed by Atlas 5 launch 1.5 miles away, with a window opening at 5:44am EDT Thursday.

ЦитироватьUpcoming Atlas 5 mission will launch Air Force cubesat before it releases main payload
by Sandra Erwin (https://spacenews.com/author/sandra-erwin/) — August 5, 2019

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/191623.jpg)
United Launch Alliance's Atlas 5 booster sits on the mobile launch platform at the Vertical Integration Facility adjacent to Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The rocket will launch the fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-5) protected communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force. Credit: ULA

The Air Force integrated a 12U cubesat on the Centaur's aft bulkhead carrier.

WASHINGTON — A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket scheduled to launch a $1.1 billion military communications satellite on Thursday will carry an experimental cubesat as a rideshare payload on the back of the Centaur, the Atlas' upper stage.

The main payload is the fifth Lockheed Martin-built Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite, or AEHF-5. For this mission, the Air Force integrated a 12U cubesat on the Centaur's aft bulkhead carrier. The rideshare payload will be separating before the primary payload separates, said Col. Shane Clark, AEHF-5 mission director at the Air Force Space and Missile Systems' Center Launch Enterprise Systems Directorate.

"It's the first time SMC separates a rideshare payload prior to the anchor mission," Clark said on Monday during a conference call. The cubesat will be used to test orbital debris tracking technologies.

The Atlas 5 aft bulkhead carrier was originally developed for the National Reconnaissance Office to take advantage of excess capacity on big rocket to put small payloads into orbit. A newly created Launch Enterprise Manifest Office married up the the cubesat with the Centaur for the AEHF-5 mission. Clark said this is the first multi-manifest space vehicle integration executed by the new office.

The mission is on track to lift off from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Thursday. The rocket will fly in its most powerful configuration, the Atlas 5 551. The AEHF satellites in geosynchronous Earth orbit provide nuclear-survivable, protected communications for strategic command and tactical warfighters. They are used by the U.S. military and international partners Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Clark said the Air Force wants to continue to find ways to use space vehicle capacity as efficiently as possible. "We haven't in the past separated rideshares before the anchor mission," he said. "The mission design of this one allows us to do that." The new manifest office at SMC will be responsible for integrating rideshares "when we have anchor missions that have some excess capability."

Gary Wentz, ULA's vice president for government and commercial programs, said he does not anticipate any further delays to the AEHF-5 mission that was originally scheduled for June 27. The date had to be pushed back after a component failed during final acceptance tests. "The teams removed the suspect hardware from all our launch vehicles," said Wentz. "We are in the process of incorporating some minor changes to the hardware. We have retested and reinstalled the hardware on the vehicle."

AEHF-5 will be ULA's 134th launch since the company was formed in 2006. It will be the ninth for the Atlas 5 in the 551 configuration with five solid rocket boosters.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67530.jpg) Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow) 9 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1158502732942254081)
US Air Force officials signed off Monday on a plan for SpaceX and United Launch Alliance, rivals in the launch services market, to fire off Falcon 9 and Atlas 5 rockets from neighboring launch pads at Cape Canaveral on Tuesday evening and Thursday morning. https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/08/05/cape-canaveral-to-host-two-launches-in-36-hours-this-week/ ... (https://t.co/q41zCCWjXS)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/175985.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/175984.jpg)


8 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/StephenClark1/status/1158503268504522757)
According to my survey of the wonderful global launch log maintained by @planet4589 (https://twitter.com/planet4589), this would be the shortest span between orbital launches at Cape Canaveral since May 1981. Weather permitting, of course.

ЦитироватьAug 06, 2019 15:51
Launch weather now 80% GO

Thursday's launch weather forecast has improved to an 80 percent chance of favorable conditions, according to the 45th Weather Squadron. Anvil clouds drifting into the area remains the primary concern.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA‏ Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1158718865800663041)
Welcome to Rollout Day for the United Launch Alliance #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) rocket and the fifth @usairforce (https://twitter.com/usairforce) Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) from the Vertical Integration Facility to the pad at Space Launch Complex-41. Launch is planned for 5:44amEDT (0944 UTC) on Thursday.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/176014.jpg)


2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1158732062251212801)
ULA Launch Director Lou Mangieri has given final approval to begin the rollout. Pre- roll preps are complete and the weather is acceptable to move the 197-foot-tall rocket on its mobile launch platform a third-of-a-mile north to the launch pad.


2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1158732965352005632)
The #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) rocket began its rollout at 9:30 a.m. EDT (1330) UTC) from the 30-story Vertical Integration Facility to the Space Launch Complex-41 pad at Cape Canaveral to launch the #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) spacecraft. 

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/176003.jpg)


1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1158735360836427777)
The mobile launch platform is traveling to the pad with the help of undercarriage railcars and trackmobile machines that push the entire 1.9-million-pound MLP and rocket along tracks up the hill to the pad.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/176008.jpg)


1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1158737461905907713)
Also visible in the rollout convoy are two boxcars leading the way. They contain critical ground support equipment for the #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) and #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash). At the rear are two trailers that supply conditioned air to the rocket and payload.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/176009.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA‏ Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1158740030791278592)
The #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) is equipped with five powerful solid rocket boosters made by @AerojetRdyne (https://twitter.com/AerojetRdyne). They will provide nearly three-quarters of the energy at liftoff to propel the #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) satellite on its way to space.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/176010.jpg)


48 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1158746006546190337)
Our #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) rocket has arrived at its Cape Canaveral launch pad for Thursday's 5:44amEDT (0944 UTC) liftoff to send the #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) strategic communications satellite into space for the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center @usairforce (https://twitter.com/usairforce) @AF_SMC (https://twitter.com/AF_SMC).

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/176013.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67530.jpg) Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1158739979062743043)
The Atlas 5 rocket is nearing pad 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/08/06/atlas-5-av-083-mission-status-center/ ... (https://t.co/6xdc1YTLL5)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/176011.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA‏ Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 5 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1158814856780419072)
Check out our Flickr page for photos of the #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) rocket taken by ULA photographers during rollout to the launch pad earlier today:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ulalaunch/albums/72157709085765986 ... (https://t.co/s9oK9aobiA)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/176030.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184877.jpg) Dane Drefke‏ @DaneDrefke (https://twitter.com/DaneDrefke) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/DaneDrefke/status/1158867884405379072)
Something you don't see every day. ULA Atlas V on the pad far left, Space X Falcon 9 on the pad to the right. Launched within 24 hours of each other. Busy spaceport today!

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EBUgMfgWsAA-upZ.jpg)

ЦитироватьAug 06, 2019 20:08

The MLP was lowered onto the launch pad piers, achieving the "harddown" milestone at 10:53 a.m. EDT (1453 UTC). The team has since transferred the environmental control system from the mobile trailers used during rollout to the ground facilities at the pad to feed conditioned air to the rocket and payload. The ECS trailers are being disengaged from the MLP to make their way back to the VIF right now.

Meanwhile, the Atlas and Centaur stages have been powered up for standard system testing and operations.

ЦитироватьKZMA

FDC 9/4750 (A1209/19) - FL..AIRSPACE CAPE CANAVERAL FL. TEMPORARY FLT RESTRICTION.
PURSUANT TO 14 CFR SECTION 91.143, FLT LIMITATION IN THE PROXIMITY OF SPACE FLT OPS, OPS BY FAA CERT PILOTS OR U.S.REG ACFT ARE PROHIBITED WI AN AREA DEFINED AS
285116N0804219W (OMN141034.4) TO 290730N0803000W (OMN108033.9) THEN CLOCKWISE VIA A
30 NM ARC CENTERED AT 283703N0803647W (OMN147048.7) TO
281330N0801600W (OMN145078.4) TO 282501N0803029W (OMN149061.9) TO
282501N0803759W (OMN155058.8) TO 282501N0804144W (OMN157057.4) TO
283121N0804349W (OMN157050.9) TO 283801N0804701W (OMN157043.7) TO
284910N0805044W (OMN154032.2) TO 285116N0804714W (OMN148031.8) TO
POINT OF ORIGIN.
SFC-FL180. MIAMI / ZMA / ARTCC, PHONE 305-716-1589, IS THE FAA COORDINATION FACILITY.
THIS AREA ENCOMPASSES R2932, R2933, R2934, AND PORTIONS OF W137F, W137G, W497A. ADDITIONAL WARNING AND RESTRICTED AREAS WILL BE ACT.
PILOTS MUST CONSULT ALL NOTAMS REGARDING THIS OP AND MAY CONTACT ZMA FOR CURRENT AIRSPACE STATUS.
08 AUG 09:14 2019 UNTIL 08 AUG 12:14 2019.
CREATED: 06 AUG 20:04 2019

ЦитироватьKZMA

A1207/19 (Issued for KZMA) - EROP A6275 ATTENTION AIRLINE DISPATCHERS, SOME OPS APPEAR TO BE USING THE NOTAM BEGINNING TIME TO START FILING ROUTES AROUND THE LAUNCH OP.
LAUNCH HAZARD AREA TIMES IN THE NOTAM ARE ALT SPECIFIC AND DO NOT AFFECT ALL OPS.
THIS NOTAM CONTAINS A BREAKDOWN OF THE TIMES FOR PRE-LAUNCH AND LAUNCH CLOSURES.
THE FOLLOWING AIRSPACE IS IN USE FOR A MISSILE LAUNCH/SPLASH DOWN.
DURING THESE TIMES KZMA ARTCC/OAC, ZJX ARTCC AND KZNY ARTCC/OAC WILL NOT APPROVE IFR FLT WI 45NM OF THE AFFECTED OCEANIC STNR AIRSPACE RESERVATIONS WEST OF 6000W, 50NM BTN 6000W AND 5500W, AND 60NM EAST OF 5500W OR WI AFFECTED WARNING AREA AIRSPACE.
EFF: 1908080744  1908081214 W497A WEST OF 80 WEST, SFC-5000FT MSL
EFF: 1908080744  1908081214 CAPE ATC ASSIGNED AIRSPACE, SFC-FL180
EFF: 1908080914  1908081214 R2933, 5000FT MSL-UNL
EFF: 1908080914  1908081214 R2934, SFC-UNL
EFF: 1908080944  1908081214
   LAUNCH HAZARD AREA A WI AN AREA DEFINED AS
      2830N08038W TO 2842N08037W TO 2837N07945W TO 2829N07945W TO
      POINT OF ORIGIN, SFC-UNL
   LAUNCH HAZARD AREA B WI AN AREA DEFINED AS
      2837N07945W TO 2835N07857W TO 2827N07857W TO 2829N07945W TO
      POINT OF ORIGIN, SFC-UNL.
   LAUNCH HAZARD AREA C WI AN AREA DEFINED AS
      2754N07138W TO 2809N07135W TO 2739N06711W TO 2726N06714W TO
      POINT OF ORIGIN, SFC-UNL.
   LAUNCH HAZARD AREA D WI AN AREA DEFINED AS
      2401N4946W TO 2415N04938W TO 2335N04722W TO 2321N04727W TO
     POINT OF ORIGIN, SFC-UNL.
THESE AREAS ENCOMPASSE PORTIONS OF R2932, R2933, AND W497A.
IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, ALL NONPARTICIPATING PILOTS ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO AVOID THE ABV AREAS, EXC AS NOTED BLW FOR FLT PLAN FILING PURPOSES.
THE FOLLOWING RESTRICTIONS WILL BE IN EFFECT WI KZMA AND KZNY FIRS.
ALL TRAFFIC REGARDLESS OF ALT MUST BE ESTIMATED TO CLEAR OCEANIC ALTRV AT OR BEFORE 1908080939. KZNY REQUEST ACFT CERTIFIED FOR RNP 4/10 FILE ROUTES TO AVOID HAZARD AREA C BY 25NM, AND NON CRTFY RNP 4/10 ACFT AVOID AREA C BY 45NM AND ALL ACFT AVOID HAZARD AREA D BY 60NM DURING THE HAZARD PERIOD 1908080944-1908081214.
THE FOLLOWING ROUTES WILL BE IMPACTED: AR6, AR15, AR17, AR19, AR21, AR22, L375, L435, L452, L453, L454, L455, L456, M329, M330, M331, M593, M595, Q86, Y185, Y289, Y291, AND Y585. HIBAC TRANS SHIFTY STAR CLSD.
FOR FLTS FILED OVER OMN ON THE FOLLOWING STARS:
FISEL/GISSH/FRWAY/CAYSL EXPECT A REROUTE VIA OMN J79 TRV AND TRV TRANSITION. REROUTES FOR "AR" ROUTES WILL BE CONTAINED IN FAA ATC COMMAND CENTER ADVISORY. BECAUSE OF THE INDEFINITE OPENING TIME, SOME AIRLINE OPS ARE REROUTING FLTS UNNECESSARILY.
EXCEPTING THE KZNY REQUEST ABV ALL FLTS WITH ROUTES THAT WOULD NORMALLY TRANSIT THROUGH OCEANIC OP AREAS DURING OP WINDOW 1908080944 THRU 1908081214 SHOULD FILE THEIR NORMAL ROUTE BUT PLAN ON RECEIVING REROUTE FM ATC.
KZMA WILL REROUTE ONLY THOSE FLTS NECESSARY TO CLEAR THE AFFECTED AREAS WHILE IN USE. EXPECT THE FOLLOWING INTL REROUTES:
L375-435   NON-RNP 4/10 ONLY: DUNIG DCT 2823N06648W DCT BRKZZ
L452      GTK L451 LETON 2800N07240W WILYY L452
L453   MACKI DCT LETON 2800N07240W ALOBI L453
L454   ELMUC L451 LETON 2800N07240W PERDO L454
L455   JANMA M597 THANK L458 TALSU L459 SAVOL L455
L456   THANK L458 TALSU L459 DARUS M329     ZQA CNNOR M328 BDA
M330   ENAMO DCT CNNOR M328 BDA
M331   ACMEE DCT LAMER DCT BRKZZ DCT NUMBR
M593   ZQA DCT RENAH DCT LUCTI DCT AMENO
M595   ENAMO/DUNNO DCT LUCTI DCT AYTTE
Y585.   OMN J79 TRV CVIKK AND REVERSE.
SFC - UNL, 08 AUG 07:44 2019 UNTIL 08 AUG 12:14 2019.
CREATED: 06 AUG 20:04 2019


A1208/19 - STNR ALT RESERVATION CAPE ATC ASSIGNED AIRSPACE ACT FOR A ROCKET LAUNCH.
MIAMI CENTER WILL NOT APPROVE IFR FLIGHTS AND VFR SHOULD EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WI AN AREA DEFINED AS
2847N08050W TO 2847N08021W TO 2847N07950W TO 2825N07950W TO
2825N08030W TO 2825N08041W TO 2831N08044W TO 2838N08047W TO
POINT OF ORIGIN.
THIS ALT RESERVATION ENCOMPASSES PORTIONS OF R2933, R2934, AND W497A.
SFC - FL180, 08 AUG 07:44 2019 UNTIL 08 AUG 12:14 2019.
CREATED: 06 AUG 20:06 2019

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg) Tory Bruno‏ Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1159060781268258816)
Our team is in place to tank RP1. Stopped yesterday by lightning (bad luck to handle rocket fuel in a thunderstorm). Everyone think non-charged thoughts...  #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash)

ЦитироватьAug 07, 2019 14:49
Atlas RP-1 loading begins

Fueling of the Atlas V first stage is underway at Cape Canaveral's Space Launch Complex-41. The launch team is pumping 25,000 gallons of RP-1 fuel, a highly refined kerosene, into the rocket.

ЦитироватьAug 07, 2019 15:49
Atlas RP-1 load completed

The Atlas V's first stage has been loaded with RP-1 fuel that will power the main engine during the initial phase of Thursday's AEHF-5 launch. Cryogenic fueling of the rocket with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen occurs during the final two hours of the countdown tomorrow.

Launch of the Atlas V to deploy the AEHF-5 spacecraft for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center remains scheduled for Thursday morning from Cape Canaveral. The two-hour launch window opens at 5:44 a.m. EDT (0944 UTC).

The official launch weather forecast continues to project an 80 percent chance of favorable conditions, calling for scattered clouds, light southwesterly winds and a temperature near 78 degrees F. The only concern will be anvil clouds drifting in from distant thunderstorms in west-central Florida.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA‏ Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 23 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1159109721363812352)
ULA's Live Launch Blog will provide official and timely information. Live reports begin at 10:45pmEDT (0345 UTC) tonight. Liftoff is targeted for 5:44amEDT (0944 UTC) Aug. 8, at the opening of the 120-min window. http://bit.ly/av_aehf5  (https://t.co/VsjWiGAOLx)

ЦитироватьAEHF-5 Ready for Launch
SMC Public Affairs / Published August 06, 2019

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla --
The Air Force's fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite, the culmination of a prominent acquisition effort championed by the nation's launch and satellite procurer of choice, the USAF Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), completed it's roll out to Space Launch Complex-41 launch pad at 10:49 a.m. EDT today, here.

Launch of the AEHF-5 satellite aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch vehicle is set for Aug. 8, 2019, with the launch window opening at 05:44 a.m. EDT. A live broadcast will begin 20 minutes before launch and webcast is available to be viewed at www.ulalaunch.com.

To maximize satellite on-orbit capability, SMC ordered the Atlas V 551 for this mission, the most powerful Atlas rocket available.  This lift-off will mark the 10th Atlas V 551 launch and 80th Atlas V launch.

The SMC-procured AEHF is a joint-service satellite communications system providing survivable, global, secure, protected and jam-resistant communications for high-priority military ground, sea and air assets. AEHF also provides protected satellite communications to our international partners Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands and Australia. The AEHF system is the follow-on to the Milstar system, augmenting, improving and expanding the DOD's Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) architecture.

The Production Corps, SMC's Agile capabilities delivery arm, leads the AEHF team, and Air Force Space Command operates the AEHF system. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company is the AEHF prime contractor, and Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems is the payload developer and manufacturer.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67594.png) Chris G - NSF‏ @ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1159201093655703558)
Major thanks to @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) for waiting out a 3 hour weather delay for remote can set up! #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/176087.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/176088.jpg)

ЦитироватьNAVAREA IV 691/2019 (11,25,26)

WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
   080944Z TO 081214Z AUG, ALTERNATE
   090940Z TO 091210Z AUG IN AREAS BOUND BY:
   A. 28-38-59N 080-37-41W, 28-38-00N 080-01-00W,
     28-37-00N 079-45-00W, 28-35-00N 078-57-00W,
    28-27-00N 078-57-00W, 28-29-10N 080-32-24W.
   B. 27-54-00N 071-38-00W, 28-09-00N 071-35-00W,
    27-39-00N 067-11-00W, 27-26-00N 067-14-00W.
   C. 24-01-00N 049-46-00W, 24-15-00N 049-38-00W,
    23-35-00N 047-22-00W, 23-21-00N 047-27-00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 091310Z AUG 19.

( 070913Z AUG 2019 )

Цитировать08/08/2019 01:10 Stephen Clark

United Launch Alliance teams at Cape Canaveral are readying an Atlas 5 rocket for launch at 5:44 a.m. EDT (0944 GMT) Thursday with the U.S. Air Force's fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite.

Built by Lockheed Martin, the AEHF 5 satellite will join a network of geostationary relay stations providing secure, jam-resistant video, voice and data links for the U.S. military.

Teams at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 launch pad loaded RP-1 kerosene fuel into the Atlas 5's first stage this morning. The first stage's Russian-built RD-180 engine will consume the kerosene in combination with super-cold liquid oxygen, which the launch team will load into the rocket in the final hours of the countdown early Thursday.

The Atlas 5's Centaur upper stage will also be filled with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen during the countdown.

Cryogenic tanking is scheduled to commence soon after 3:30 a.m. EDT (0730 GMT).

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA‏ Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 12 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1159256975848423425)
Wondering when and where you may see the #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) launch in and around Florida? This visibility map shows when and where your best chances are to see the rocket! Launch is scheduled for Thursday at 5:44amEDT from @45thspacewing (https://twitter.com/45thSpaceWing) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/175832.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185122.jpg) Julia‏ @julia_bergeron (https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron) 37 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/1159269610920828931)
The Mighty Atlas #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) fairing art. That fairing holds quite the bus sized satellite.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/175835.jpg)

Цитировать08/08/2019 03:29 Stephen Clark

Clouds are thinning over Cape Canaveral after sunset evening after another rainy summertime afternoon on the Space Coast.

Forecasters expect an 80 percent chance of favorable conditions during the Atlas 5's two-hour launch window, which opens at 5:44 a.m. EDT (0944 GMT) Thursday.

The only slight weather concern is the possibility of anvil clouds violating launch weather criteria.

The most recent forecast issued by the U.S. Air Force's 45th Weather Squadron earlier today calls for partly cloudy skies, west-southwest winds of about 10 knots, and a temperature of 77 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit during the launch window.

(https://24liveblog.tradingfront.cn/event/2317252087501580058/20190808002939_306641.jpg) (https://photo.24liveblog.com/2317252087501580058/20190808002939_306641.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186400.jpg) Jon Van Horne :f09f90b4: :f09f93b7: :f09f8cb4: @ #ULASocial‏ @therealjonvh (https://twitter.com/therealjonvh) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/therealjonvh/status/1159254104918712320)
FUN FACT:


Jan 1988 - May 2019


626 Countdowns


231 Scrubs - 111 to Weather, 120 Other


395 Launch - 273 On Time, 122 Delay < 37 to Weather, 85 Other


#ULASocial (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ULASocial?src=hash) #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/176084.jpg)

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 05:46

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 about to begin the countdown for the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket to deploy the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile System Center's fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-5) spacecraft, one of the most sophisticated communications satellites ever built to relay protected transmissions to strategic, nuclear and tactical forces.

Activities are on schedule for liftoff from Space Launch Complex-41 at 5:44 a.m. EDT (0944 UTC). The launch window extends to 7:44 a.m. EDT (1144 UTC), a duration of exactly two hours.

We will be starting the countdown at 10:54 p.m.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 05:54
Countdown begins

T-minus 6 hours, 20 minutes (L-6 hours, 50 minutes) and counting!

The countdown has been initiated for liftoff of the 80th Atlas V rocket before dawn from Cape Canaveral.

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-083, will launch AEHF-5 into a customized high-perigee, low-inclination 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.

It will take five hours and 41 minutes to perform this Atlas V mission, from liftoff until deployment of the AEHF-5 spacecraft, and the Centaur upper stage will perform three burns to haul the heavy payload to the optimized orbit.

Our rocket variant being flown in the morning 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.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 06:09
Power up

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

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 06:36
Power up complete

The Atlas-Centaur rocket has been powered up for its launch of AEHF-5.

The flight control operator in the Launch Control Center performed the power up. Soon, he will begin avionics testing while the rocket's Inertial Guidance and Control Assembly (INCA) flight computer is allowed to warm up. Later, the operator will conduce guidance system testing and steering checks of the engine nozzles prior to cryogenic fueling.

The countdown continues to track on schedule for liftoff at 5:44 a.m. EDT (0944 UTC). At T-minus 5 hours 38 minutes (L-6 hours, 8 minutes) and counting, this is Atlas Launch Control.

ЦитироватьPhotos: Atlas 5 rocket rolls out to launch pad 41
August 7, 2019 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/08/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145671.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

Set to fly in its most powerful configuration with five solid rocket boosters, a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket rolled out to Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 launch pad Tuesday in preparation for a planned blastoff two days later with a U.S. military communications satellite.

The rollout two days before launch began around 9:30 a.m. EDT (1330 GMT) Tuesday. Less than an hour later, the Atlas 5 rocket was in the starting blocks at pad 41 after a 1,800-foot (550-meter) journey from ULA's nearby Vertical Integration Facility.

Спойлер

The Air Force's fifth 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 5 satellite will enable video, voice and data links between government leaders and military commanders.

The AEHF 5 spacecraft joins four previous AEHF satellites launched on Atlas 5 rockets in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2018.

The 197-foot-tall (60-meter) Atlas 5 rocket is set for liftoff in a two-hour window opening at 5:44 a.m. EDT (0944 GMT) Thursday.

More photos of the Atlas 5's rollout are posted below. See our Mission Status Center (https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/08/06/atlas-5-av-083-mission-status-center/) for live coverage of the countdown and launch.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145670.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145668.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145665.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145667.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145664.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145666.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145669.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145676.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145675.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145673.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145674.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 07:21
Weather looking good

This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 4 hours, 53 minutes (L-5 hours, 23 minutes) and counting. Launch Weather Officer Jessica Williams from the Air Force's 45th Weather Squadron reports that conditions at Cape Canaveral are looking favorable for the flight of Atlas V and AEHF-5 today, forecasting an overall 80 percent chance of acceptable conditions.

The outlook calls for some scattered clouds, good visibility, southwesterly winds of 10 knots and a temperature near 78 degrees F.

The only slight concern will be anvil clouds causing a launch rule violation later in the two-hour launch window.

For the scheduled 5:44 a.m. EDT launch time, Williams said the weather odds are 90 percent or better.

ЦитироватьДля армии США запускают в космос AEHF-5 за $1,1 млрд: трансляция
Связь, которую обеспечивают спутники серии AEHF, среди прочего используется военно-политическим руководством США для общения с войсками по всему миру
Сегодня, 8 августа в 12:44 дня по киевскому времени, со стартовой площадки SLC-41 базы ВВС США на мысе Канаверал планируется запуск ракеты Atlas V: она должна вывести на орбиту дорогостоящий военный спутник связи AEHF-5.
Стартовое окно — два часа.
В штате Флорида в это время будет ранее утро, зрелище при условии хорошей погоды должно быть ярким.
Открыть в новом окне подробный таймлайн/инфографику этой миссии.
Спутник
Созвездие спутников AEHF (Advanced Extremely High Frequency) призвано обеспечить защищенной по военному стандарту связью войска США, Британии, Канады и Нидерландов. Система будет считаться завершенной, когда в космосе одновременно окажется шесть таких аппаратов: тогда сигналами будет покрыт пояс планеты между 65-ми параллелями северной и южной широты.
AEHF на платформе A2100M обратно совместимы и постепенно заменят в космосе устаревшие аппараты Milstar. Данные они будут передавать на миллиметровых волнах частотой 44 ГГц, а получать — на сантиметровых (20 ГГц).
Инженеры утверждают, что AEHF — высокоскоростная и резистентная к взлому и глушению система.
Спутники разработаны и создаются компанией американского ОПК Lockheed Martin. Годы запуска четырех аппаратов — 2010, 2012, 2013 и 2018-й. Шестой и последний планируется к запуску в 2020 году.
AEHF-5 стартовым весом 6168 кг и стоимостью около $1,1 млрд в момент отделения от разгонного блока будет вращаться по орбите с такими параметрами: апогей — 35 299 км, перигей — 14 435 км, наклонение — 9,95 градусов, аргумент перигея — 180 градусов.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29558.jpg) (http://uploads.ru/TtE3d.jpg)
Чтобы добраться до пункта назначения около Земли (примерно 100 суток), а также для корректировки траектории во время работы, на AEHF установлен японский гидразиновый двигатель BT-4 и четыре американских ионных двигателя XR-5, которые функционируют на эффекте Холла. К моменту, когда спутник достигнет плановой позиции, он "похудеет" до 4080 кг.
Аппарат выйдет на геосинхронную орбиту (период обращения равен периоду вращения Земли, то есть около 24 ч), где должен будет оставаться не менее 14 лет. Работу его систем обеспечат две пятисегментные солнечные панели, которые суммарно могут запитать 14 среднестатических американских домовладений.
Смотрите видео: У возвращаемых ракет SpaceX появится мини-конкурент
United Launch Alliance также объявила, что перед отсоединением в космосе AEHF-5 будет осуществлено отделение экспериментального кубсата формата 12U, который используют для проверки технологий отслеживания орбитального мусора. Этот кубсат закрепят на второй ступени Centaur следующим образом (https://www.ulalaunch.com/docs/default-source/rockets/abc_users_guide_2014.pdf).

"Ракета"

Atlas V — одноразовая двухступенчатая ракета. Сначала производилась Lockheed Martin, сейчас — в Денвере, штат Колорадо, альянсом ULA (Lockheed Martin + Boeing). Конфигурируемый носитель в части габаритов головного обтекателя и числа "боковушек". Стоимость запуска — от $110 до $235 млн. Это одна из самых надежных ракет: неудачных запусков не было.
Длина — 58,3 м, диаметр — 3,81 м, стартовая масса — от 334 до 547 тонн. Способна выводить на НОО до 18,8 т, на ГПО — почти 9 т.
Это будет 10-й запуск Atlas V в ее самой тяжелой конфигурации — 551, и 80-й юбилейный старт за историю носителя в целом. Номер конфигурации обозначает основные характеристики этой ракеты. Первая цифра - диаметр головного обтекателя: "5" — 5,4 м. Вторая цифра соответствует количеству боковых ускорителей — от 0 до 5, третья — число двигателей второй ступени: 1 или 2.
Маршевая ступень ракеты содержит двигатель РД-180 российского Энергомаша: он работает на керосине с жидким кислородом. Америка откажется от РД-180 в 2022 году.
Твердотопливные бустеры Aerojet по бокам от ступени выгорают за 1,5 минуты, после чего отделяются и падают в океан. Вторая ступень Centaur использует тягу двигателя RL-10C-1 на жидких водороде и кислороде.
Фото сборки ракеты, спутника, "Атласа-5" на стартовом столе и прочие кадры можно скачать в наивысшем качестве здесь. Все подробности об этой миссии доступны здесь в формате PDF.
Весной 2019-го в США испытали собственные двигатели для ракет, в том числе Atlas 5.

[свернуть]

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA ‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1159333134716088320)
Checks are being performed of the GPS Metric Tracking system, which uses the orbiting Global Positioning System to follow the #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) rocket's flight downrange with position, velocity and timing information. http://bit.ly/av_aehf5  (https://t.co/VsjWiGAOLx)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/175842.jpg)

ЦитироватьPhotos: AEHF 5 satellite encapsulated for launch
August 7, 2019 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/08/) Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

The U.S. Air Force's fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite, designed for secure, jam-resistant communications, is set for launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket. These photos show the AEHF 5 satellite during encapsulation inside the Atlas 5's payload shroud.

Спойлер

The AEHF 5 satellite, built by Lockheed Martin, will join four other satellites in the Air Force's protecting communications network providing secure data, voice and video links to the military and government leaders.

The spacecraft weighs around 13,600 pounds (6,168 kilograms) fully fueled. The Atlas 5 rocket set to launch with the AEHF 5 satellite will fly in the "551" configuration — the most powerful Atlas 5 variant — with a 5.4 meter (17.7-foot) diameter payload fairing produced by Ruag Space and five solid rocket boosters from Aerojet Rocketdyne.

See our Mission Status Center (https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/08/06/atlas-5-av-083-mission-status-center/) for coverage of the countdown and launch.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145630.jpg)
The AEHF 5 communications satellite was encapsulated inside the Atlas 5 rocket's payload fairing in early June at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Florida. Credit: Lockheed Martin

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145663.jpg)
The AEHF 5 communications satellite was encapsulated inside the Atlas 5 rocket's payload fairing in early June at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Florida. Credit: Lockheed Martin

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145660.jpg)
The AEHF 5 communications satellite was encapsulated inside the Atlas 5 rocket's payload fairing in early June at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Florida. Credit: Lockheed Martin

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145659.jpg)
The AEHF 5 communications satellite was encapsulated inside the Atlas 5 rocket's payload fairing in early June at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Florida. Credit: Lockheed Martin

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145662.jpg)
The AEHF 5 communications satellite was encapsulated inside the Atlas 5 rocket's payload fairing in early June at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Florida. Credit: Lockheed Martin

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145661.jpg)
The AEHF 5 communications satellite was encapsulated inside the Atlas 5 rocket's payload fairing in early June at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Florida. Credit: Lockheed Martin

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 09:37

Internal battery checks are complete.

Цитировать08/08/2019 09:44 Stephen Clark

T-minus 2 hours, 30 minutes and counting. The Atlas 5 countdown is ticking toward a 15-minute built-in hold at T-minus 2 hours, when teams will give the "go" to begin cryogenic tanking.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA ‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1159357716256698368)
In the latest launch weather briefing, @45thspacewing (https://twitter.com/45thSpaceWing) meteorologists forecast has improved to 90% chance of favorable conditions for liftoff from Cape Canaveral this morning.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/175841.jpg)

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 10:04
No COLAs

Safety officials have confirmed that there are no Collision Avoidance (COLA) periods during today's 120-minute launch window. COLAs are brief moments in time when the launch is not allowed to occur because the trajectory would pass too close to another object already in space. This analysis is based on a screening of known active and debris objects in orbit that could cause a conjunction with the ascending Atlas V and AEHF-5.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 10:05

This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 2 hours, 9 minutes (L-2 hours, 39 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.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 10:14
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.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 10:15

The launch pad crew has completed its hands-on work to ready Space Launch Complex-41 for today's mission, and Launch Conductor Scott Barney has given the instruction for personnel to depart the site in advance of fueling operations.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 10:23

The Atlas V rocket will be loaded with approximately 66,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen over the next hour or so.

The first stage was loaded with 25,000 gallons of RP-1 kerosene after rollout on Tuesday.

The first stage will propel the AEHF-5 spacecraft out of Earth's atmosphere and the Centaur will execute three sequential burns over a five-hour period today to put the satellite into the most optimum orbit possible.

(https://24liveblog.tradingfront.cn/event/2240582388903336384/20190808072316_472172.jpg) (https://photo.24liveblog.com/2240582388903336384/20190808072316_472172.jpg)

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 10:29
Countdown resumes

This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 2 hours (L-2 hours, 15 minutes) and counting. The next phase of today's launch countdown has been initiated on schedule as we continue to target 5:44 a.m. EDT (0944 UTC) for liftoff of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the AEHF-5 communications spacecraft for the Air Force.

Preparatory steps for fueling are being kicked off, including ground chilldown of the Atlas first liquid oxygen system and chilldown of the transfer lines to the Centaur upper stage liquid oxygen system.

ЦитироватьAtlas 5 launch timeline on the AEHF 5 mission
August 8, 2019 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/08/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

A United Launch Atlas 5 rocket is set to launch the U.S. Air Force's fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite from Cape Canaveral. This timeline shows the major mission events planned over a nearly six-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 Thursday, Aug. 8, that opens at 5:44 a.m. EDT (0944 GMT).

The AEHF 5 mission will be the 80th flight of an Atlas 5 rocket, and the first Atlas 5 launch of 2019.

Built by Lockheed Martin, the AEHF 5 satellite joins four previous satellites in the AEHF constellation launched by Atlas 5 rockets in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2018. The first four AEHF satellites in orbit allowed the Air Force's new generation of secure, nuclear-hardened voice, video and data relay spacecraft to span the globe, and the addition of a fifth AEHF geostationary relay satellite will grow the network's capacity and resiliency.

The Atlas 5 launch sequence will last 5 hours, 40 minutes, from liftoff until deployment of the AEHF 5 spacecraft. On this mission, ULA added extra hardware and maneuvering fuel to the Centaur upper stage, enabling the launcher to deliver the AEHF 5 satellites closer to its final orbit more than 22,000 miles (nearly 36,000 kilometers) above the equator.

"We're launching with the Centaur geosynchronous orbit kit," said Col. Shane Clark, AEHF 5 mission director from the Launch Enterprise Systems Directorate at the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center. "The GSO kit enables an orbital insertion much closer to the final orbit than a traditional geosynchronous transfer orbit, maximizing on-orbit capability of the AEHF 5 space vehicle."

The extra performance provided by the GSO kit will allow the Centaur upper stage to coast an additional two hours before its third firing. Spacecraft separation is scheduled for T+plus 5 hours, 40 minutes, more than two hours later than the time of deployment on the most recent Atlas 5 launch with an AEHF satellite.

Thanks to the mission profile change, the AEHF 5 satellite will separate in an orbit with a perigee, or low point, several thousand miles higher than achieved on the AEHF 4 launch last October. That means AEHF 5 will need to consume less of its own finite propellant supply to circularize its orbit, leading to a longer operating lifetime for the mission.

According to an Atlas 5 user's guide published by ULA, the GSO kit includes additional battery power, a full load of hydrazine to control the upper stage's orientation in space, and additional shielding over sensitive components, including the Centaur' hydrogen and oxygen tanks.

An overview of the Atlas 5/AEHF 5 launch sequence and a ground track map illustrating the rocket's path after liftoff are are posted below.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145690.jpg)
Credit: United Launch Alliance

T+0:00:01.1: Liftoff

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144292.jpg)
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+0:00:34.4: Mach 1

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144293.jpg)
The Atlas 5 rocket exceeds the speed of sound, flying east from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.T+0:00:46.2: 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+0:01:45.8: Jettison SRBs

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/144295.jpg)Having burned out of propellant approximately 15 seconds earlier, the five spent Aerojet Rocketdyne-built solid rocket boosters are jettisoned once dynamic pressure conditions are satisfied.

T+0:03:23.3: 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+0:04:26.2: 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+0:04:32.2: 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+0:04:42.2: 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 5 satellite into an initial parking orbit.T+0:11:41.5: 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 an 11-minute coast period before arriving at the required location in space for the second burn.

T+0:22:49.9: Centaur Ignition 2

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145058.jpg)
Producing 22,900 pounds of thrust, the Centaur re-ignites to accelerate the AEHF 5 payload into a highly elliptical transfer orbit from the parking altitude achieved earlier in the launch sequence. This burn lasts more than six minutes.

T+0:28:53.3: Centaur Cutoff 2

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145055.jpg)
The second Centaur firing places the AEHF 5 satellite into an elliptical transfer orbit stretching more than 20,000 miles above Earth, beginning a five-hour coast period for the mission's final orbital adjustment maneuver. A secondary U.S. Air Force smallsat payload named TDO will separate from the Centaur upper stage's aft bulkhead around 30 seconds after the RL10 engine shuts down. The TDO mission will help the Air Force evaluate space debris.

T+5:36:00.0: Centaur Ignition 3

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145692.jpg)
After a five-hour coast, the Centaur's RL10 engine reignites for a roughly one-minute, 46-second firing to place the AEHF 5 satellite in the proper orbit for spacecraft separation.

T+5:37:46.6: Centaur Cutoff 3

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145691.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 (35,298 kilometers), a perigee, or low point, of 8,969 miles (14,435 kilometers), and an inclination of 9.95 degrees.

T+5:40:35.7: AEHF 5 Separation

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145689.jpg)
The AEHF 5 spacecraft deploys from the Centaur upper stage.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 10:39

Centaur LO2 loading begins

With the thermal conditioning, or chilldown, now complete, liquid oxygen has started to flow into the Centaur upper stage for today's launch. About 4,150 gallons of liquid oxygen will be loaded into Centaur for its three-burn mission to boost the AEHF-5 satellite into an optimized geosynchronous transfer orbit.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 11:00
Atlas LO2 loading begins

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

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 11:06

The Centaur liquid oxygen tank is topping to flight level. Meanwhile, first stage liquid oxygen loading is transitioning from slow-fill to fast-fill mode.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 11:24
Centaur LH2 loading begins

The launch team has received the "go" to begin filling the Centaur upper stage with the super-cold liquid hydrogen 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.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 11:48

AEHF-5 patch

The AEHF-5 patch is emblazoned on the Atlas V rocket's payload fairing.

(https://24liveblog.tradingfront.cn/event/2240582388903336384/20190808084851_863264.jpg) (https://photo.24liveblog.com/2240582388903336384/20190808084851_863264.jpg)

The artwork depicts the AEHF-5 satellite launching from Cape Canaveral, as well as the flags of the countries involved in the AEHF program -- the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada and the Netherlands -- and a star for each of the four previously launched AEHF satellites and one for this newest addition to the constellation.

Цитировать08/08/2019 11:51 Stephen Clark

The Atlas first stage liquid oxygen tank is now in topping mode after the completion of fast-fill.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA‏ Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1159386962366816256)
Fueling of the #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) has been completed, giving us a 1.3-million-pound rocket that is getting ready for launch at 5:44amEDT (0944 UTC) today from Cape Canaveral.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/175839.jpg)

Цитировать08/08/2019 11:59 Stephen Clark

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

[/li]
• 662nd launch for Atlas program since 1957
  
• 364th Atlas launch from Cape Canaveral
  
• 251st mission of a Centaur upper stage
  
• 228th use of Centaur by an Atlas rocket
  
• 491th production RL10 engine to be launched
  
• 28th RL10C-1 engine launched
  
• 86th flight of an RD-180 main engine
  
• 111th-115th AJ-60 solid rocket boosters flown
  
• 80th launch of an Atlas 5 since 2002
  
• 30th U.S. Air Force use of an Atlas 5
  
• 65th launch of an Atlas 5 from Cape Canaveral
  
• 1st Atlas 5 launch of 2019
  
• 117th Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle flight
  
• 132nd United Launch Alliance flight overall
  
• 72nd Atlas 5 under United Launch Alliance
  
• 94th United Launch Alliance flight from Cape Canaveral
  
• 51st ULA launch for U.S. Air Force
  
• 27th 500-series flight of the Atlas 5
  
• 10th Atlas 5 to fly in the 551 configuration
  
• 92nd launch from Complex 41
  
• 65th Atlas 5 to use Complex 41
  
• 10th orbital launch overall from Cape Canaveral in 2019
  

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg) Tory Bruno‏ Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1159389484556980224)
The board is green

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg) Tory Bruno‏ Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1159390082266226689)
Winds are almost non-existent. Looking good and calm

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:09
L-35 minutes

Initial telemetry coverage of this morning's flight of the Atlas V rocket will be relayed via the TEL-4 tracking station here at the Cape. The Jonathan Dickinson Missile Tracking Annex (JDMTA) in South Florida will acquire the vehicle shortly after liftoff. A handoff from the ground sites to one of NASA's orbiting Tracking and Data Relay Satellites in geosynchronous orbit occurs during the initial burn of the Centaur and TDRS satellites continue for the rest of the mission.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185122.jpg) Julia‏ @julia_bergeron (https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron) 9 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/1159389280822841344)
Welcome to the ITL Causeway complete with out very own gator. #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) is loading and ready to rumble. #ULASocial (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ULASocial?src=hash)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/175840.jpg)

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:13

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

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:15

Weather is observed and forecast GO for liftoff at 5:44 a.m. EDT (0944 UTC) today, according to the countdown's final planned briefing by Air Force weather officer Jessica Williams.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:19
L-25 minutes

Three video cameras aboard the Atlas V rocket will be used to record key portions of today's mission. An aft-facing camera on the first stage will provide views of the vehicle climbing away from the Earth, solid rocket motor jettison and all the way nearly to staging. Just prior to booster engine cutoff, the view will switch to the aft-facing camera on the Centaur stage to show the first stage separating and ignition of the RL10C-1 engine. That same view will be available for the end of the first burn and then the ignition and shutdown of the engine on the second and third burns of the day. In addition, a forward-facing camera on Centaur will capture payload fairing jettison and AEHF-5 spacecraft separation.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:19

The Automatic Determination and Dissemination of Just Updated Steering Terms, better known as the ADDJUST file, is being loaded into the Atlas V rocket's Inertial Navigation and Control Assembly (INCA) flight computer by the flight control operator here at the Launch Control Center. This is the planned steering parameters for the INCA to use based on today's upper level wind conditions.

A series of weather balloons has been launched throughout the countdown from the Range weather station at Cape Canaveral to collect measurements of wind speeds and directions to determine if conditions aloft violate the controllability or structural loads on the rocket during ascent. The balloon data was transmitted to ULA engineers in Denver to select a steering profile that minimizes launch vehicle responses.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:25
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 5:44 a.m. EDT (0944 UTC) from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:26

A possible problem with the GPS Metric Tracking system has been reported to Launch Conductor Scott Barney. The issue is being referred to Anomaly Chief Dave McFarland for discussion, any troubleshooting steps, then resolution. The AC position in the control room that directs engineering teams work to resolve technical issues that arise during the count.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:30

The AEHF-5 spacecraft atop the Atlas V rocket is transitioning to internal battery power for launch. This is the final configuring of the payload for liftoff.

The protected communications satellite, built by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, is destined to operate in geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles above Earth.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:30

The GPS Metric Tracking system issue was a momentary telemetry glitch, not a hardware problem. So the team has cleared this concern.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:32

A concern with the main engine steering has been reported to Launch Conductor Scott Barney by the Flight Control console operator in the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center. The issue is being referred to Anomaly Chief Dave McFarland for discussion.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:35

This hold will be extended a few minutes while engineers assess the technical issue.

Цитировать issue with the RD-180 engine thrust vector control system.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:38

A new liftoff time has not been identified. However, today's launch opportunity extends for two hours.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA‏ Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 17 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1159398859069673472)
This is Atlas Launch Control at T-minus 4 minutes and holding. We are extending this hold while they look at a hydraulic steering parameter. That means our target liftoff time will be pushed later into today's two-hour launch opportunity.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:41

An action to correct the hydraulic steering positioning is being developed.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:52

The steering measurement is confirmed in nominal position. Anomaly Chief Dave McFarland in the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center has reported closure of the issue that engineers were discussing and that pushed back the launch time a few minutes.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg) Tory Bruno‏ Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1159401773968216064)
Issue resolved. Board has returned to green

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:55

One additional issue, with data patching, needs to be discussed before we can press on with the Atlas V countdown today.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:57

AEHF-5 is confirmed on internal power and ready to fly. The U.S. national security satellite is built to provide survivable communications against attack from service denial, jamming, detection and interception attempts. AEHF serves survivable, high availability communications connections across the full spectrum of military operations from peacetime training to nuclear warfare to route real-time video, maps and targeting data to users on land, at sea or in the air.

At T-minus 4 minutes and holding, this is Atlas Launch Control.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 12:59

The data reconfiguration has been completed successfully.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 13:02

NEW LAUNCH has been established for 6:13 a.m. EDT (1013 UTC).

ЦитироватьЧебурашка написал:
А что такая малая пауза между первым и вторым включением Центавра

ЦитироватьAtlas V launches AEHF-5

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220612.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/SciNewsRo) SciNews (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjU6ZwoTQtKWfz1urL7XcbA)

Опубликовано: 8 авг. 2019 г.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA‏ Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 5 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1159414600892342273)
The TDO rideshare payload has been released from Centaur's aft bulkhead into geosynchronous transfer orbit. This 12U CubeSat is provided by the Air Force and designed to test new capabilities of small satellites used by U.S. government agencies.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA‏ Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1159414940995936256)
The United Launch Alliance #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) rocket streaks to space with the #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) communications satellite for U.S. national security. (ULA photo)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/175856.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA‏ Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 10 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1159417246789394433)
The #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) launched at 6:13 a.m. EDT (1013 UTC) from Cape Canaveral this morning. The rocket is traveling through space on its six-hour mission to deliver the fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) satellite for @af_smc (https://twitter.com/AF_SMC). Blog continues: http://bit.ly/av_aehf5  (https://t.co/VsjWiGAOLx)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/175858.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185122.jpg) Julia‏ @julia_bergeron (https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron) 48 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/1159408871112347648)
The #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) electrical team enjoying the stunning launch of #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) viewed from the ITL Causeway. #ULASocial (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ULASocial?src=hash)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/175848.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184886.jpg) Nathan Barker‏ @NASA_Nerd (https://twitter.com/NASA_Nerd) 39 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Nerd/status/1159410954070663169)
Lift-off!  @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) #Atlas551 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Atlas551?src=hash) streaks to orbit at 6:13am EDT with #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) from Space Launch Complex 41.

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/30587.jpg) Lockheed Martin Подлинная учетная запись @LockheedMartin (https://twitter.com/LockheedMartin) 30 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/LockheedMartin/status/1159412947225063424)
Liftoff – thanks for the boost @ULAlaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch)! Next up, cruise to #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) orbit.

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185122.jpg) Julia‏ @julia_bergeron (https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron) 35 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/1159413068734091264)
The 80th launch of Mighty #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) did not dissapoint. Solids deploying in a cosmic squid at dawn. Thank you to Team @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) and @45thSpaceWing (https://twitter.com/45thSpaceWing) for having us along for the ride. #ULASocial (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ULASocial?src=hash)

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29831.jpg) William Harwood‏ @cbs_spacenews (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews) 24 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/1159414182439260160)
A5/AEHF-5: Launching just before sunrise, the Atlas 5 put on a dramatic show as it climbed out of the lower atmosphere...

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184886.jpg) Nathan Barker‏ @NASA_Nerd (https://twitter.com/NASA_Nerd) 27 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Nerd/status/1159415374804377600)
Stunning @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) #Atlas551 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Atlas551?src=hash) predawn launch into orbit with #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash)

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Цитировать(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/692443836736507904/4I0Bh5oX_bigger.jpg) AF SMC‏ @AF_SMC (https://twitter.com/AF_SMC) 19 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/AF_SMC/status/1159418049210068992)
AEHF-5 successfully launched at 6:13 am EDT! Congratulations to the entire AEHF-5 team, @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) @lockheedmartin (https://twitter.com/LockheedMartin) @northropgrumman (https://twitter.com/northropgrumman) and all others who made this possible!   #SMC (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SMC?src=hash) #SpaceStartsHere (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceStartsHere?src=hash) #EPICSPeed (https://twitter.com/hashtag/EPICSPeed?src=hash) #AEHF (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF?src=hash) #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) #DominateDriveDeliver (https://twitter.com/hashtag/DominateDriveDeliver?src=hash)

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ЦитироватьAtlas V AEHF-5 Live Launch Broadcast

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220483.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/UnitedLaunchAlliance) United Launch Alliance (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnrGPRKAg1PgvuSHrRIl3jg)

Трансляция началась 2 часа назад

Цитировать8 АВГ, 13:21
В США запустили ракету-носитель Atlas V с военным спутником связи

Это пятый аппарат серии AEHF, построенный Lockheed Martin

НЬЮ-ЙОРК, 8 августа. /ТАСС/. Ракета-носитель Atlas V со спутником защищенной связи AEHF-4 (Advanced Extremely High Frequency 4) для нужд американских военных стартовала в четверг с космодрома на мысе Канаверал (штат Флорида). Трансляция велась на сайте (http://www.ulalaunch.com/) компании - оператора запуска United Launch Alliance (ULA).

Ракета взлетела в 06:13 по времени Восточного побережья США (13:13 мск).

Это пятый аппарат серии AEHF, построенный корпорацией Lockheed Martin. Первые три спутника были выведены на орбиту с помощью ракет Atlas V в 2010, 2012 и 2013 годах. Они обеспечивают защищенную и устойчивую к помехам связь представителей американского командования с развернутыми воинскими частями и подразделениями.

По оценкам специалистов, стоимость AEHF-4 составляет около $1,8 млрд. Использовать возможности спутника смогут также союзники США, в том числе Великобритания, Канада и Нидерланды. Ожидается, что будет произведено еще не менее двух аппаратов такого типа.

ULA основана в 2006 году. Она является совместным предприятием авиационных гигантов Boeing и Lockheed Martin. С учетом нынешней миссии общее число пусков носителей Atlas V достигло 80.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA‏ Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 16 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1159422497722425344)
Our official liftoff time was 6:13:00:246 a.m. EDT.

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA‏ Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 3 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1159447022652579840)
A check of Centaur telemetry shows nominal performance. The rocket continues a quiescent coast away from Earth, headed 22,000 miles in altitude for the third engine firing. Live updates from launch control: http://bit.ly/av_aehf5   (https://t.co/VsjWiGAOLx)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA‏ Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1159465352323063808)
Today's launch marks the 251st flight of Centaur. This venerable U.S. upper stage is the high-energy, hydrogen-fueled rocket that unlocked access to send robotic explorer spacecraft to every planet in our solar system. Learn more: http://bit.ly/av_aehf5  (https://t.co/VsjWiGAOLx)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA‏ Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1159471331437699073)
The upcoming Centaur burn uses Minimum Residual Shutdown (MRS), meaning the engine will continue to fire until propellant is depleted in the stage. This means all available Centaur performance will put the AEHF-5 satellite into the best possible orbit.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29898.jpg) ULA‏ Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) 41 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1159476692160831488)
We are one hour away from the Centaur engine restart. The vehicle remains stable as the coast period continues high above the Indian Ocean. Live status reports: http://bit.ly/av_aehf5  (https://t.co/VsjWiGAOLx)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/30343.jpg) Supercluster‏ Подлинная учетная запись @SuperclusterHQ (https://twitter.com/SuperclusterHQ) 4 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/SuperclusterHQ/status/1159428873165201408)
A stunner of a sunrise launch this morning as the @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) workhorse Atlas V rocket blasts off from Cape Canaveral with the Air Force #AEFH5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEFH5?src=hash) satellite.  Photos captured by @erikkuna (https://twitter.com/erikkuna) for @SuperclusterHQ (https://twitter.com/SuperclusterHQ)   #spaceisforeveryone (https://twitter.com/hashtag/spaceisforeveryone?src=hash)

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/184886.jpg) Nathan Barker‏ @NASA_Nerd (https://twitter.com/NASA_Nerd) 2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASA_Nerd/status/1159464768408838146)
Two-thrust-chamber RD-180 engine & five @AerojetRdyne (https://twitter.com/AerojetRdyne) Solid Rocket Boosters ignite at SLC-41 propelling @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) AV-083 #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) 551 and the @LockheedMartin (https://twitter.com/LockheedMartin) built #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) into the Space Coast skies.

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185307.jpg) Mike Deep‏ @mike_deep (https://twitter.com/mike_deep) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/mike_deep/status/1159466502069850112)
Remote camera photos from this morning's #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) launch of #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) are in!

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ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 18:45

T+plus 5 hours, 32 minutes. In preparation for the upcoming burn, the BBQ roll maneuver that Centaur has been performing during this coast period has concluded.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 18:46

T+plus 5 hours, 33 minutes. The reaction control system thrusters are firing as planned for settling.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 18:49
Main Engine Start-3

T+plus 5 hours, 36 minutes, 3 seconds. Ignition! Centaur's single Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C-1 engine is running again for its third firing during this launch to deliver the final push to place #AEHF5 into a highly optimized geosynchronous transfer orbit.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29897.png) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 6 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1159490664108896257)
Coming up on MES-3 for Centaur. This will be a one minute and 46.6 seconds burn, raising the perigee - or lowest point - of Centaur's orbit, to aid AEHF-5's service longevity in space (reduces the amount of fuel AEHF-5 must burn to reach geostationary orbit).

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ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 18:51
MECO-3

T+plus 5 hours, 37 minutes, 45 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-5 payload.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 18:52

T+plus 5 hours, 39 minutes. Centaur is reorienting to the spacecraft deployment attitude.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 18:53
SPACECRAFT SEPARATION!

T+plus 5 hours, 40 minutes, 30 seconds. The Advanced Extremely High Frequency-5 communications satellite has been deployed into space by the Atlas V rocket's Centaur upper stage for U.S. national security.

AEHF-5 will join four sister-satellites in geosynchronous orbit to provide global coverage for survivable, protected, anti-jam communications to strategic commanders, nuclear forces and tactical warfighters on land, at sea and in the air.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67530.jpg) Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1159493365429350400)
United Launch Alliance confirms a successful separation of the US Air Force's AEHF 5 communications satellite into a high-altitude geostationary transfer orbit, following a good third burn of the Atlas 5 rocket's Centaur upper stage. https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/08/06/atlas-5-av-083-mission-status-center/ ... (https://t.co/6xdc1Zbn9F)

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29897.png) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1159493178355048448)
S/C Sep for AEHF-5 following its successful ride on Atlas V 551 and Centaur.

ARTICLE:
- https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/08/atlas-v-aehf-5-launch-cape-canaveral/ ... (https://t.co/OLorqa1zG1)

By William Graham (@w_d_graham (https://twitter.com/w_d_graham)) and photos from Mike Deep (@mike_deep (https://twitter.com/mike_deep)), Nathan Barker (@NASA_Nerd (https://twitter.com/NASA_Nerd)) and Chris Gebhardt (@ChrisG_NSF (https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF))

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 19:00

T+plus 5 hours, 47 minutes. Our next event today is the quick-look data review here at the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center. A report from that event will be posted in a little while

Цитировать(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/692443836736507904/4I0Bh5oX_bigger.jpg) AF SMC‏ @AF_SMC (https://twitter.com/AF_SMC) 12 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/AF_SMC/status/1159492953401901057)
We have successful separation of the space vehicle and anchor, AEHF-5! (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125535.png)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125385.png)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125385.png)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125385.png)  #SMC (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SMC?src=hash) #SpaceStartsHere (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceStartsHere?src=hash) #AEHF (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF?src=hash) #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash) #DominateDriveDeliver  (https://twitter.com/hashtag/DominateDriveDeliver?src=hash)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29931.jpg) Tory Bruno Подлинная учетная запись @torybruno (https://twitter.com/torybruno) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1159496498012446722)

134

ЦитироватьUnited Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Communications Satellite for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., (Aug. 8, 2019) -- A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center lifted off from Space Launch Complex-41 on August 8 at 6:13 a.m. EDT. This marked the 80th successful launch of an Atlas V rocket, which has successfully launched and precisely delivered the entire AEHF constellation on orbit. ULA has a track record of 100 percent mission success with 134 successful launches.

"The ULA and supplier teams continue to demonstrate the highest dedication to mission success as we overcame several technical issues during the last few weeks," said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs. "Thank you to the entire team and our government mission partners for the outstanding partnership and teamwork to deliver these critical payloads to orbit."

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 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.

This mission launched aboard an Atlas V 551 configuration vehicle, including a 5-meter large Payload Fairing (PLF) and standing at 197 ft. tall. The Atlas booster for this mission was powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 engine. Aerojet Rocketdyne provided the five AJ-60A solid rocket boosters (SRBs) and RL10C-1 engine for the Centaur upper stage.

ULA's next launch is the GPS III SV02 mission for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center aboard the final Delta IV Medium rocket. The launch is scheduled for August 22 at Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

With more than a century of combined heritage, United Launch Alliance is the nation's most experienced and reliable launch service provider. ULA has successfully delivered more than 130 satellites to orbit that aid meteorologists in tracking severe weather, unlock the mysteries of our solar system, provide critical capabilities for troops in the field and enable personal device-based GPS navigation.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 19:47
Quicklook launch review

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-5 by the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.

Today's launch represents the 134th successful mission for United Launch Alliance and our fifth for the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center's Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite series. This flight also marked the 80th mission for the Atlas V and continued its 100 percent success rate.

Liftoff occurred at 6:13:00.246 a.m. EDT, with winds of 13 knots from the southwest and a temperature of 75 degrees F.

The vehicle performed successfully during today's six-hour mission, which included three Centaur burns. The quicklook meeting also reviewed the onboard video camera footage recorded during spacecraft separation.

Engineers representing various launch vehicle elements offered brief synopses of system performance -- such as the engines, hydraulics, pneumatics and avionics. The vehicle performed nominally during its mission and injected the AEHF-5 payload into a good orbit.

The quick-look meeting received congratulatory speeches from company leadership and the customer. ULA officials expressed appreciation to the Air Force in being entrusted in launching this national asset.

Today's mission occurred on the anniversaries of five previous launches of ULA heritage vehicles, including Pioneer Venus Multiprobe mission that launched atop Atlas-Centaur AC-51 in 1978 to fire three small probes into the thick Venusian atmosphere and obtain measurements and NASA's Genesis solar wind sample-return mission, launching in 2001 atop a Delta II rocket, that captured particles streaming from the Sun and brought them back to Earth.

Our next mission is planned for Aug, 22 from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida when a Delta IV rocket launches the Global Positioning System III SV02 navigation satellite for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center.

ЦитироватьPhotos: Atlas 5 paints the sky with spectacular sunrise launch
August 8, 2019 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/08/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145682.jpg)
Credit: Alex Polimeni / Spaceflight Now

Skywatchers and early risers across Florida enjoyed dazzling views of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket climbing into space Thursday morning from Cape Canaveral with a U.S. military communications satellite.

Flying in its most powerful configuration with five strap-on solid rocket boosters, the Atlas 5 blasted off from pad 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 6:13 a.m. EDT (1013 GMT) Thursday, more than a half-hour before sunrise.

Спойлер

ULA's launch team kept the 197-foot-tall (60-meter) on the ground for 29 extra minutes as engineers evaluated several technical issues involving the Atlas 5's GPS tracking system, the rocket's first stage steering system, and a concern related to data patching.

The launch team resolved all the technical issues and gave approval to proceed with the final four minutes of the countdown.

The delay ended up placing the Atlas 5's launch time at the right moment in the morning twilight to allow the rocket to climb into sunlight high up in the atmosphere around two minutes into the mission. The sunlight illuminated the Atlas 5's exhaust plume and ice particles, creating a prominent teardrop-shaped cloud in the sky.

The rocket's five strap-on boosters and payload fairing also shimmered in the morning sun as they fell into the Atlantic Ocean east of Florida, adding to the spectacle.

Thursday's mission marked the 80th flight of an Atlas 5 rocket since August 2002, and the first Atlas 5 mission this year. It as the 10th orbital launch from Cape Canaveral so far in 2019.

We've posted more photos of the Atlas 5's launch below on this page.

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Credit: Alex Polimeni / Spaceflight Now

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Credit: United Launch Alliance

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Credit: Stephen Clark / Spaceflight Now

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Credit: Stephen Clark / Spaceflight Now

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Credit: Ben Cooper / Launchphotography.com (http://www.launchphotography.com/)

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Credit: Ben Cooper / Launchphotography.com (http://www.launchphotography.com/)

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Credit: Stephen Clark / Spaceflight Now

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Credit: Ben Cooper / Launchphotography.com (http://www.launchphotography.com/)

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Credit: Stephen Clark / Spaceflight Now

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Credit: United Launch Alliance

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Credit: Alex Polimeni / Spaceflight Now

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьAtlas V AEHF-5 Launch Highlights

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220483.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/UnitedLaunchAlliance) United Launch Alliance (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnrGPRKAg1PgvuSHrRIl3jg)

Опубликовано: 8 авг. 2019 г.

A ULA Atlas V 551 rocket lifted off with the fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency mission for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center from Space Launch Complex 41 on Aug. 8, 2019 at 6:13 a.m. Eastern.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185135.jpg) John Kraus‏ @johnkrausphotos (https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos) 5 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/1159448916708024320)
Otherworldly. Incredible. Breathtaking. No words can adequately convey the awe of spaceflight.  United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket, powered by an RD-180 engine & five Aerojet Rocketdyne solid rocket motors, launches the AEHF-5 satellite for the U.S. Air Force at 6:13am EDT.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/175862.jpg)

ЦитироватьUnder Control: Lockheed Martin-Built AEHF-5 Protected Communications Satellite Now In Transfer Orbit
Satellite Completes Highly Secure and Protected Global Communications Coverage

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/151478.jpg) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/lockheedmartin/48408748701/in/album-72157631807031794/)
The U.S. Air Force's fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-5) protected communication satellite encapsulated prior to launch.

SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo., Aug. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire (http://www.prnewswire.com/)/ -- The U.S. Air Force's 4th Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base is now "talking" with the fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-5 (https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2547316-1&h=3169173265&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Flockheedmartin%2F48063137143%2Fin%2Falbum-72157631807031794%2F&a=AEHF-5)) protected communication satellite after its successful launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, this morning.

The Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT)-built AEHF-5 satellite is now responding to the squadron's commands as planned. The squadron began "flying" the satellite shortly after it separated from its United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 rocket approximately 5 hours and 40 minutes after the rocket's successful 6:13 a.m. ET liftoff.

AEHF-5 completes a geostationary ring of five satellites delivering global coverage for survivable, highly secure and protected communications (https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2547316-1&h=3457666017&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lockheedmartin.com%2Fcontent%2Fdam%2Flockheed-martin%2Fspace%2Fphoto%2Faehf%2FProtected-vs-Secure-Sat-Communication-infographic.jpg.pc-adaptive.1920.medium.jpeg&a=protected+communications) for strategic command and tactical warfighters operating on ground, sea and air platforms. Besides U.S. forces, AEHF also serves international partners including Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

"This fifth satellite adds an additional layer of flexibility for critical strategic and tactical protected communications serving the warfighter. This added resilience to the existing constellation will help ensure warfighters can connect globally to communicate and transmit data at all times," said Mike Cacheiro, vice president for Protected Communications at Lockheed Martin Space. "In the weeks ahead, AEHF-5 will move towards its operational orbit, deploy all of its solar arrays and antennas, and turn on its powerful communications payload for a rigorous testing phase prior to hand over to the Air Force."

AEHF-5, with its advanced Extended Data Rate (XDR) waveform technology, adds to the constellation's high-bandwidth network. One AEHF satellite provides greater total capacity than the entire legacy five-satellite Milstar (https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2547316-1&h=1822495293&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lockheedmartin.com%2Fus%2Fnews%2Fpress-releases%2F2012%2Ffebruary%2F0210-ss-milstar.html&a=Milstar) communications constellation.

"Individual data rates increase five-fold compared to Milstar, permitting transmission of tactical military communications, such as real-time video, battlefield maps and targeting data," said Cacheiro. "AEHF affords national leaders anti-jam, always-on connectivity during all levels of conflict and enables both strategic and tactical users to communicate globally across a high-speed network that delivers protected communications in any environment."

Lockheed Martin designed, processed and manufactured all five on-orbit AEHF satellites at its advanced satellite manufacturing facility in Sunnyvale, California. The next AEHF satellite, AEHF-6, is currently in full production in Silicon Valley and is expected to launch in 2020.

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, 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.

ЦитироватьAug 08, 2019 21:38
Launch photo gallery

See our Flickr album (https://www.flickr.com/photos/ulalaunch/sets/72157709085765986/) for a full collection of beautiful photos of the Atlas V launching AEHF-5 taken by United Launch Alliance.

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ЦитироватьAtlas 5 launch adds to U.S. military's secure communications satellite network
August 8, 2019 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/08/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

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An Atlas 5 rocket lifts off at 6:13 a.m. EDT (1013 GMT) Thursday from pad 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Credit: United Launch Alliance

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket fired into space Thursday from Cape Canaveral with a $1.1 billion U.S. Air Force communications satellite, delivering fresh capacity for the military's voice, video and data relay networks.

The 197-foot-tall (60-meter) Atlas 5 launcher lifted off from pad 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 6:13 a.m. EDT (1013 GMT) Thursday. Powered by a kerosene-fueled Russian-built RD-180 main engine and five strap-on solid rocket boosters, the Atlas 5 flashed to life and thundered into the morning twilight over Florida's Space Coast.

The main engine and solid rocket boosters combined to produce some 2.6 million pounds of thrust to push the Atlas 5 into the sky with the Air Force's fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite to provide secure, protected links between military commanders and government leaders.

ULA's launch team kept the Atlas 5 launcher on the ground for 29 extra minutes Thursday as engineers evaluated several technical issues involving the rocket's GPS tracking system, the first stage steering system, and a concern related to data patching.

The launch team resolved all the technical issues and gave approval to proceed with the final four minutes of the countdown.

The delay ended up placing the Atlas 5's launch time at the right moment in the morning twilight to allow the rocket to climb into sunlight high up in the atmosphere around two minutes into the mission. The sunlight illuminated the Atlas 5's exhaust plume and ice particles in the rarefied atmosphere, creating a prominent teardrop-shaped cloud in the sky.

The rocket's five strap-on boosters and payload fairing also shimmered in the morning sun after their jettison from the launcher. The components' glinting appearance added to the spectacle as they fell into the Atlantic Ocean.

The Atlas 5's first stage finished its job around four-and-a-half minutes after liftoff Thursday. The Atlas core booster then fell away from the rocket's Centaur upper stage, which ignited a hydrogen-fueled Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C-1 engine three times over five-and-a-half hours to inject the 13,600-pound (6,168-kilogram) Lockheed Martin-built AEHF 5 satellite into an elliptical transfer orbit stretching as far from Earth as 22,000 miles (35,000 kilometers) at its highest point.

ULA and Air Force officials confirmed an on-target deployment of the AEHF 5 spacecraft a few minutes before 12 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT). Ground controllers from the 4th Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado began communicating with the AEHF 5 satellite as expected, verifying the new relay asset is functioning after launch, Lockheed Martin said in a statement.

Thursday's mission marked the 80th flight of an Atlas 5 rocket since August 2002, and the first Atlas 5 flight in nearly 10 months.

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The Atlas 5's blastoff at dawn was also the second launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in less than a day-and-half.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145682.jpg)
An Atlas 5 rocket streaks into the sky in this long exposure photo captured Thursday morning. Credit: Alex Polimeni / Spaceflight Now

A Falcon 9 rocket operated by ULA rival SpaceX took off from pad 40 — about 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) south of the Atlas 5 pad — Tuesday at 7:23 p.m. EDT (2323 GMT) with the Israel-owned Amos 17 commercial communications satellite.

Less than 35 hours separated the two launches, the shortest span between two orbital missions at Cape Canaveral since May 1981, according to a launch log tabulated by Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics who tracks global space activity.

A Delta rocket launched with a GOES weather satellite on May 22, 1981, followed by liftoff of an Atlas-Centaur launcher and an Intelsat communications satellites a little more than 24 hours later.

Several new launch providers plan to start flying rockets from Cape Canaveral in the next few years, including Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace and Relativity Space. With new entrants to the market joining the Cape Canaveral launch manifest, the Air Force is pushing to streamline and modernize range infrastructure on Florida's Space Coast to support up to 48 missions per year.

That would be equivalent to an average of about one launch per week, with a few weeks of down time for maintenance on the range. In some cases, the range aims to be ready to accommodate two launches on the same day, officials said.

The Air Force's 45th Space Wing operates range safety, security and ground infrastructure on the Eastern Range, which supports all launches from Florida's Space Coast, from pads on NASA and Air Force property.

The AEHF 5 satellite launched Thursday joins four previous AEHF satellites launched in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2018, all on past Atlas 5 rocket missions.

With four AEHF satellites already in space, the network provides global, secure, jam-resistant communications services between U.S. government leaders and military commanders. The AEHF fleet is a follow-on to the Air Force's Milstar satellite network.

The addition of a fifth AEHF satellite will add extra capacity and resiliency to the network.

"This fifth satellite adds an additional layer of flexibility for critical strategic and tactical protected communications serving the warfighter," said Mike Cacheiro, vice president for protected communications at Lockheed Martin. "This added resilience to the existing constellation will help ensure warfighters can connect globally to communicate and transmit data at all times.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/145688.jpg)
Artist's concept of an AEHF satellite in orbit. Credit: Lockheed Martin

"In the weeks ahead, AEHF 5 will move towards its operational orbit, deploy all of its solar arrays and antennas, and turn on its powerful communications payload for a rigorous testing phase prior to hand over to the Air Force," Cacheiro said in a statement.

Northrop Grumman supplies the communications payload for the AEHF satellites, which are designed to operate for at least 14 years.

Air Force officials anticipate a longer lifetime from AEHF 5, thanks to a high-energy boost from the Centaur upper stage.

For the AEHF 5 mission, ULA added extra hardware and maneuvering fuel to the Centaur stage, enabling the launcher to deliver the AEHF 5 satellite closer to its final geostationary orbit more than 22,000 miles (nearly 36,000 kilometers) above the equator.

"We're launching with the Centaur geosynchronous orbit kit," said Col. Shane Clark, AEHF 5 mission director from the Launch Enterprise Systems Directorate at the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center. "The GSO kit enables an orbital insertion much closer to the final orbit than a traditional geosynchronous transfer orbit, maximizing on-orbit capability of the AEHF 5 space vehicle."

The extra performance provided by the GSO kit allowed the Centaur upper stage to coast an additional two hours before its third firing. The total duration of the AEHF 5 launch sequence lasted more than two hours longer than that of the AEHF 4 mission last year.

Thanks to the mission profile change, the AEHF 5 satellite separated in an orbit with a perigee, or low point, several thousand miles higher than achieved on the AEHF 4 launch last October. That means AEHF 5 will need to consume less of its own finite propellant supply to circularize its orbit, leading to a longer operating lifetime for the mission.

According to an Atlas 5 user's guide published by ULA, the GSO kit includes additional battery power, a full load of hydrazine to control the upper stage's orientation in space, and additional shielding over sensitive components, including the Centaur's hydrogen and oxygen tanks.

The AEHF 5 satellite should arrive in geostationary orbit in October, after three firings by its own engine and around 70 days of continuous thrusting from plasma engines to reshape its orbit over the equator, according to Cacheiro.

What differentiates the AEHF network from other U.S. military communications satellite programs is its ability to withstand threats, such as radiation from a nuclear attack, or jamming.

"If we're providing communications over a specific theater, whether it's in Africa, or the Middle East, or the Pacific rim, and we detect a jammer that could knock out your communications ... We could have contact with a unit on the ground, and all of a sudden they don't have communications capability back to their commanders back in the Pentagon, or wherever they might be," Cacheiro said.

"That puts our warfighter at risk for multiple reasons, so it's critical that we're able to block out those jammers," he said. "They could be as simple as a radio with an antenna from Radio Shack to a complex jamming antenna, which many nations of concern have, so you just have to be able to communicate through any kind of environment."

A single AEHF satellite has more capacity than the entire five-satellite Milstar constellation, which launched in the 1990s and 2000s.

"Individual data rates increase five-fold compared to Milstar, permitting transmission of tactical military communications, such as real-time video, battlefield maps and targeting data," Cacheiro said. "AEHF affords national leaders anti-jam, always-on connectivity during all levels of conflict and enables both strategic and tactical users to communicate globally across a high-speed network that delivers protected communications in any environment."

The AEHF 5 satellite is valued at $1.1 billion, excluding launch and operating costs, according to Don Ruffin, chief of the strategic SATCOM division at the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center.

Adding the cost of the Atlas 5 launch pushes the AEHF 5 mission cost to more than $1.2 billion.

A sixth AEHF satellite is scheduled to launch on an Atlas 5 rocket in March 2020, according to Air Force officials.

Armed forces from Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have access to the AEHF network through international agreements with the U.S. government.

Thursday's launch also delivered a suitcase-sized 12U CubeSat into orbit. The U.S. Air Force's TDO smallsat deployed from a carrier on the aft bulkhead of the Centaur upper stage after the RL10 engine's second burn, releasing into an elliptical geostationary transfer orbit.

Col. Clark, the AEHF 5 mission director, said the TDO spacecraft is "testing orbital debris tracking technologies."

The launch of the AEHF 5 mission was delayed from late June, first to allow ULA teams times to replace a failed battery on the Atlas 5 rocket, then to investigate the failure of a component at a supplier that also delayed the next flight of ULA's Delta 4 rocket.

Asked for details multiple times, ULA officials declined to identify the component, other than to say the part flies on the upper stages of the Atlas 5 and Delta 4 rockets. A spokesperson for Aerojet Rocketdyne, builder of the RL10 upper stage engine on both rockets, said the component of concern was not on the engine itself.

"During one of our final acceptance tests at a supplier, we had a component failure," said Gary Wentz, ULA's vice president of government and commercial programs. "The teams removed the suspect hardware from all our launch vehicles, and we're in the process of incorporating some changes to that hardware."

Wentz said the changes were "relatively minor," adding that the company does not anticipate any further delays stemming from the issue.

With the AEHF 5 mission successfully in space, ULA's team at Cape Canaveral is set to begin stacking the next Atlas 5 rocket inside the Vertical Integration Facility at pad 41 in the next few weeks ahead of the launch of Boeing's first Starliner crew capsule on an unpiloted test flight to the International Space Station.

The Starliner spacecraft will lift off on a modified Atlas 5 rocket, with two strap-on solid rocket boosters and a dual-engine Centaur upper stage, which will fly on an Atlas 5 for the first time.

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is one of two commercial crew capsules largely funded by NASA to ferry astronauts to and from the space station, ending U.S. reliance on Russian Soyuz spacecraft. SpaceX's Crew Dragon completed an unpiloted test flight to the station in March.

Officials have not announced a target launch date for the Starliner's first space mission, but the launch could occur as soon as late September or early October to begin a week-long trip to the space station and back to Earth.

Assuming the test flight goes according to plan, Boeing test pilot and former space shuttle commander Chris Ferugson, joined by NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Nicole Mann, will fly the Starliner's second mission to the space station.

Before the Starliner test launch, ULA's next mission will fly on a Delta 4 rocket from Cape Canaveral on Aug. 22. The Delta 4 launcher will carry a GPS navigation satellite into orbit for the Air Force.

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186355.jpg) Erik Kuna  :f09f9a80:‏ @erikkuna (https://twitter.com/erikkuna) 32 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/erikkuna/status/1160027022401388545)
Up close with some Russian and the РД-180 engine. @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) #AEHF5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEHF5?src=hash)

Photo credit: @erikkuna (https://twitter.com/erikkuna) for @SuperclusterHQ (https://twitter.com/SuperclusterHQ)

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ЦитироватьAtlas V AEHF-5 Launch 8 August 2019

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Опубликовано: 8 авг. 2019 г.

ЦитироватьRocket Cam: Atlas V AEHF-5

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220483.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/UnitedLaunchAlliance) United Launch Alliance (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnrGPRKAg1PgvuSHrRIl3jg)

Опубликовано: 29 авг. 2019 г.

ЦитироватьAEHF-5 Satellite Control Authority Transferred to Space Operations Command
SMC Public Affairs / Published February 12, 2020

LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --
On Feb. 3, the U.S. Space Force Space and Missile Systems Center's (SMC) fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-5) communications satellite was successfully transferred to Space Operations Command (SpOC). After successful completion of AEHF-5 on-orbit testing, SMC transferred Satellite Control Authority to the SpOC with AEHF-5 now under the control of military operators located at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado. This significant achievement marks the final AEHF-5 milestone and the first transition of a satellite to the warfighter under the United States Space Force.

"This was very much a team effort from our industry partners and dedicated Government professionals, with their focus on mission success this major milestone was accomplished," said Col John Dukes, senior materiel leader, Space Production Corps' Geosynchronous Orbit Division. "AEHF satellites play a critical role for the warfighter and the defense of our nation. Space is fundamental to our way of life, our economy relies on space and this reliance will continue to grow."

Launched on Aug. 8, 2019, aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas-V 551 launch vehicle, AEHF-5 continues to ensure the health of the protected satellite communications constellation and its vital national security mission. AEHF is a joint-Service satellite communications system providing survivable, global, secure, protected and jam-resistant communications for high-priority military ground, sea and air assets. AEHF provides 10 times the throughput with a substantial increase in coverage for users, satisfying the ever-growing need to provide higher rates of data to support the warfighter worldwide.

AEHF provides connectivity across the spectrum of mission areas, including land, air and naval warfare; special operations; strategic nuclear operations; strategic defense; theater missile defense,  and space operations and intelligence. AEHF also provides protected satellite communications to our International Partners Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands and Australia.  AEHF is the follow-on to the Milstar system, which augments, improves and expands DOD's Military Satellite Communications architecture.

The sixth and final AEHF-6 satellite is scheduled to launch next month aboard an Atlas V from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.