NROL-42 (SBIRS HEO-4) – Atlas V 541 (AV-072) – Ванденберг SLC-3E – 24.09.2017, 05:49 UTC

[tnt22]

30th Space Wing (Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.) добавил(-а) 3 новых фото в альбом «Atlas V Launch».

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A National Reconnaissance Office payload on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V launched from Space Launch Complex-3, Sept. 23, 2017, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

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[tnt22]

http://www.ulalaunch.com/ula-successfully-launches-nrol42.aspx

United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches NROL-42 Mission for the National Reconnaissance Office

Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., (Sept. 24, 2017) – A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office lifted off  from Space Launch Complex-3 on Sept. 23, at 10:49:47 p.m. PDT. Designated NROL-42, the mission is in support of national security.

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"Congratulations to the entire team for overcoming multiple challenges throughout this launch campaign. From Hurricane Irma schedule impacts to replacing to a first stage battery this week – the team maintained a clear focus on mission success," said Laura Maginnis, ULA vice president of Government Satellite Launch. "NROL-42 marks the 25th ULA-launched NRO mission, building upon our legacy of partnership with the NRO in providing reliable access to space for our nation's most critical missions."

This mission was launched aboard an Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) 541 configuration vehicle, which includes a 5-meter payload fairing (PLF) and four solid rocket boosters. The Atlas booster for this mission was powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 engine, and the Centaur upper stage was powered by the Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C engine.

This is ULA's sixth launch in 2017 and the 121st successful launch since the company was formed in December 2006.

ULA's next launch is the NROL-52 for the National Reconnaissance Office. The launch is scheduled for Oct. 5 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

The EELV program was established by the U.S. Air Force to provide assured access to space for Department of Defense and other government payloads. The commercially developed EELV program supports the full range of government mission requirements, while delivering on schedule and providing significant cost savings over the legacy launch systems.

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 120 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.

For more information on ULA, visit the ULA website at www.ulalaunch.com, or call the ULA Launch Hotline at 1-877-ULA-4321 (852-4321). Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/ulalaunch, twitter.com/ulalaunch and instagram.com/ulalaunch.

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[tnt22]

ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch 2 мин. назад

Mission success! ULA's #AtlasV rocket successfully launches #NROL42 for the @NatReconOfc http://bit.ly/nrol52_launch 

[tnt22]

http://www.vandenberg.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1322402/atlas-launch-successful/

ATLAS LAUNCH SUCCESSFUL
By 30th Space Wing Public Affairs, 30th Space Wing Public Affairs / Published September 24, 2017

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --
Team Vandenberg successfully launched a National Reconnaissance Office payload on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Space Launch Complex-3 here Saturday, Sep. 23, at 10:49 p.m. PDT.

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Col. Greg Wood, 30th Space Wing vice commander, was the Space Launch Commander.

"Team members of the 30th Space Wing, our partners at the National Reconnaissance Office, and United Launch Alliance worked together to ensure the success of this critical mission," said Wood. "This unified effort is what delivers the essential reconnaissance capability to the nation."

The 30th Space Wing at Vandenberg Air Force Base manages the safety and launch operations from the Western Range.

"We've worked diligently over the course of many months to conduct mission assurance for launch site operations and reduce technical risk," said Lt. Col. Kenneth Decker, 4th Space Launch Squadron commander. "We are very proud to be part of the team that contributed to the success of this mission."

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[tnt22]

https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/09/24/photos-gantry-rolled-back-to-reveal-atlas-5-rocket-for-launch-2/

Photos: Gantry rolled back to reveal Atlas 5 rocket for launch
September 24, 2017 Justin Ray

The mobile service tower retracts from the Atlas 5 rocket, revealing the 197-foot-tall vehicle for liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, carrying the classified NROL-42 national security payload for the U.S. government.

Credit: United Launch Alliance

See earlier NROL-42 coverage.

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[tnt22]

https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/09/24/signals-intelligence-gatherer-successfully-launched-by-powerful-atlas-5-rocket/

Signals intelligence gatherer successfully launched by powerful Atlas 5 rocket
September 24, 2017 Justin Ray

A signals intercepter for the U.S. spy satellite agency was successfully launched into a high orbit over the top of the world by an Atlas 5 rocket on Saturday night.

Liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California came at 10:49:47 p.m. local time (1:49:47 a.m. EDT; 0549:47 GMT Sunday) after a smooth countdown.

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Rapidly departing the launch pad and powering to the southeast on a coast-hugging trajectory, the 197-foot-tall rocket burned four solid-fuel boosters in addition to its kerosene-fed main engine for 2.4 million pounds of thrust to dazzle in a spectacular ascent.

The launch was known simply as NROL-42, a top-secret satellite-delivery flight for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The NRO is the government body that controls the country's spy satellites.

Within a few minutes of takeoff, the launch disappeared into the now-customary news blackout for national security reasons. More than two hours later, officials announced a successful outcome had been achieved.

It marked the 144th consecutive successful Atlas program launch spanning more than two decades, the 73rd for an Atlas 5 and the 121st for United Launch Alliance.

What's more, it was the 25th mission ULA has successfully performed for the NRO.

"NROL-42 marks the 25th ULA-launched NRO mission, building upon our legacy of partnership with the NRO in providing reliable access to space for our nation's most critical missions," said Laura Maginnis, ULA vice president of Government Satellite Launch.


This was the 25th ULA launch performed for the NRO. Photos by Pat Corkery, Jeff Spotts, Gene Blevins, Ben Cooper, Walter Scriptunas II, Alex Polimeni, the Air Force and Justin Ray

The identity of the payload launched was not released to the public. But conventional wisdom said this was the second satellite in a new generation of electronic signals intelligence-gathering spacecraft, informally called Trumpet. It will operate in a Molniya-style orbit of approximately 1,000 by 24,000 miles, tilted 63 degrees to the equator.

"We think these satellites carry a signals intelligence (possibly mainly communications intercept) payload and an additional missile early-warning payload," said Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and noted space historian.

This deployment builds upon 46 years of launching an evolutionary series of platforms into a similar kind of orbit aboard Titan rockets, and the Delta 4 and Atlas 5 more recently.

The orbit got its name from Soviet and Russian Molniya communications satellites that have occupied this space since the 1960s.

It takes 12 hours to complete one revolution, and the spacecraft enjoy several hours before and after apogee "hanging" high above Russia, Canada, northern Europe and Greenland.

"The Molniya orbit satellites complement similar geostationary ones by providing better coverage over the north pole. The satellite will spend most of its orbit near apogee," McDowell said.

"For most elliptical orbits Earth oblateness (the flattening of the Earth at the poles) makes the apogee's latitude change with time, but the magic of the Molniya orbit is that it instead leverages the oblateness to lock in that apogee at a fixed latitude.

"Having good coverage of Arctic areas is particularly important if you are trying to observe Russia, and possible Russian submarine SLBM missile launches from Arctic waters. It would also give a good view of North Korea."


An illustration of the Molniya orbit that NROL-35 uses. See more here. Credit: heavens-above.com

The NRO began sending up eavesdropping satellites to Molniya orbit, known by the codename Jumpseat, in 1971 to surveil Soviet radar transmissions.

After five successful launches in the 1970s and early 1980s, the lineage moved to three much-larger Trumpet satellites launched by Titan 4 rockets in the 1990s. Two follow-on missions, requiring smaller boosters, were lofted a decade ago by Vandenberg's first Delta 4 and Atlas 5 launches.

The newest generation likely started with the NROL-35 launch on the more powerful Atlas 5-541 in 2014.

"U.S. signals intelligence satellites have demonstrated long service lives. Recent observations by my colleagues Peter Wakelin and Brad Young reveal that all six previously launched Trumpets continue to maintain operational orbits. They consist of the first generation satellites launched in 1994, 1995 and 1997, and the follow-on satellites launched in 2006, 2008 and 2014," said respected satellite observer Ted Molczan.

"Whether NROL-42 is intended to grow the fleet, or replace one of the older members remains to be seen."

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** PREVIOUS TRUMPET LAUNCHES **

Trumpet 1 -- Titan 4-Centaur -- May 3, 1994
Trumpet 2 -- Titan 4-Centaur -- July 10, 1995
Trumpet 3 -- Titan 4-Centaur -- Nov. 8, 1997

Trumpet F/O 1-1 -- Delta 4M+(4,2) -- June 27, 2006
Trumpet F/O 1-2 -- Atlas 5-411 -- March 13, 2008

Trumpet F/O 2-1 -- Atlas 5-541 -- Dec. 12, 2014
Trumpet F/O 2-2 -- Atlas 5-541 -- Sept. 23, 2017
Also, NROL-42 likely carries the military's fourth Space Based Infrared Systems-HEO early-warning missile alert sensor. SBIRS is a global network that covers the entire planet with persistent monitoring to detect and track adversarial missile launches.

The system is on constantly vigil to alert the U.S., its deployed military forces and allies of a potentially deadly missile launch taking aim.

SBIRS HEO-4 is a 600-pound payload that remains attached to its NRO host satellite. It features a scanning infrared sensor in a Schmidt telescope to determine the launch site, trajectory and impact
point of a missile.

The Air Force says SBIRS HEO-4 completes the replenishment of the U.S. military's polar missile warning capability.

Now having served the NRO successfully 25 times, ULA will strive for No. 26 on its next mission. The NROL-52 launch aboard an Atlas 5-421 rocket from Cape Canaveral will occur Oct. 5 some time between 4 and 8 a.m. EDT.

See earlier NROL-42 coverage.

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[tnt22]

NRO‏Подлинная учетная запись @NatReconOfc 59 сек. назад

Thank you to all the men & women involved in our successful #NROL42 launch tonight! #AtlasV @ulalaunch @30thSpaceWing @AF_SMC @AFSpace

[Василий Ратников]

завидую американцам их ТТУ и географии они могут тяжелые спутники выводить на РД-180
а у нас проект на РД-171М слабоват ((

[tnt22]

По результатам запуска Spaceflight101.com дополнила статью из сообщения #191 абзацем

http://spaceflight101.com/atlas-v-nrol-42/atlas-v-launches-secretive-nrol-42-satellite/

United Launch Alliance confirmed the successful outcome of the night's launch two hours and ten minutes after Atlas V lifted off – confirming NROL-42 had been delivered to its target orbit.

[oby1]

 79! тщательнее баки надо мыть!  Тщательнее  :-)

[tnt22]

Видео пуска от 30-го космокрыла (VAFB)


(0:27)

[tnt22]

Atlas V NROL-42 Launch Highlights

United Launch Alliance

Опубликовано: 24 сент. 2017 г.

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office lifts off from Space Launch Complex-3. Designated NROL-42, the mission is in support of national security.

(2:35)

[tnt22]

Cees Bassa‏ @cgbassa 3 ч. назад

The #NROL42 satellite is alive and transmitting at the same frequency as USA 259, confirming a Trumpet FO @spaceflightnow @Spaceflight101

[Атяпа]

Столько сообщений! Я уж подумал, грешным делом, не рвануло ли там чего. Обычно такое количество страниц после пуска верный признак аварии...

[tnt22]

НОРАД зарегистрировал объект запуска - ID 42941 / 2017-056A, USA 278
 

[tnt22]

https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/09/24/photos-atlas-5-powers-nro-payload-into-the-night/

Photos: Atlas 5 powers NRO payload into the night
September 24, 2017 Justin Ray

The Atlas 5 rocket blasts off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California for its late-night ascent to deploy the NROL-42 payload for the National Reconnaissance Office.

Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

See earlier NROL-42 coverage.

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[tnt22]

https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/09/24/photos-news-media-images-of-atlas-5-launch-2/

Photos: News media images of Atlas 5 launch
September 24, 2017 Justin Ray

The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket leaves Space Launch Complex 3-East at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on the NROL-42 satellite-deployment mission for the National Reconnaissance Office.

Photo credit: Gene Blevins/LA Daily News

See earlier NROL-42 coverage.

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[tnt22]

NRO выпустил пресс-релиз

2017-04.pdf - 143309 B, 1 стр, 2017-09-25 21:14:15 UTC

NRO‏Подлинная учетная запись @NatReconOfc 5 ч. назад

Teamwork + super cool mission = Great day at the office. #NROL42 launched aboard #AtlasV at 10:49 pm PDT from VAFB. http://www.nro.gov/news/articles/2017/2017-04.pdf ...

[zandr]

Атяпа пишет:
Столько сообщений! Я уж подумал, грешным делом, не рвануло ли там чего. Обычно такое количество страниц после пуска верный признак аварии...

Да, есть изменение на форуме - привыкайте  

[tnt22]

Scott Tilley‏ @coastal8049 24 сент.

#NROL42 AOS nice and strong! @SpaceflightNow @Spaceflight101 @cgbassa



25 сент.

#NROL42 initial orbital parameters confirmed and identity clearly consistent with TRUMPET FO. Active also on 2232.5MHz as was #NROL35

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25 сент.

#NROL42 full pass Doppler curve. LOS was interesting,2277.5MHz faded long before s/c setting. 2232.5MHz was there to bitter end...

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