AEHF-6 – Atlas V 551 (AV-086) – Canaveral SLC-41 – 26.03.2020 20:18 UTC

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Mar 25 18:39


Photo by United Launch Alliance


Mar 25 18:44


Photo by United Launch Alliance

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Mar 25 18:55
On the Pad!

Our Atlas V rocket has arrived at its Cape Canaveral launch pad for Thursday's liftoff of AEHF-6, a protected communications relay station in orbit for the U.S. Space Force and allied partner nations.


Photo by United Launch Alliance

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

The seven-hour launch countdown will begin Thursday morning, leading to a liftoff at 2:57 p.m. EDT (1857 UTC).

Our live countdown updates will begin on this page at 8 a.m. EDT.

The live video webcast of the launch begins at 2:37 p.m. EDT (1837 UTC) and will be viewable on this page.

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Emre Kelly✔@EmreKelly 7:00 PM - Mar 25, 2020

This is ... a great photo. #AEHF6 being encapsulated last month ahead of tomorrow's 1457 ET (1857 UTC) Atlas V liftoff from CCAFS.

( : @ulalaunch)

[tnt22]

Mar 25 19:38

The MLP has been lowered onto the launch pad piers, accomplishing the "harddown" milestone at 12:38 p.m. EDT.

This will enable the undercarriages with the attached portable environmental control system trailers to be removed and retreat from the pad later this afternoon.

[tnt22]

Mar 25 19:46
Weather still 80% GO

The launch weather forecast remains unchanged with an 80 percent chance of favorable conditions to allow liftoff on Thursday afternoon. The outlook calls for just scattered clouds, good visibility, easterly winds 10 peaking to 17 knots and a temperature near 78 degrees F.

"For today, a weakening front over north Florida will bring offshore flow up to 15 to 20 knots and temperatures near 90 degrees F to the Space Coast. The remnants of the front are expected to move over the area tomorrow, bringing little more than scattered cumulus clouds off of the Atlantic and a shift in wind direction to the northeast and then east," the launch weather team reports.

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К #35

Карта закрываемых зон

 

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Mar 25 20:44

Post-rollout operations are continuing at Space Launch Complex-41. Technicians are powering up the Atlas and Centaur rocket stages for today's testing and RP-1 fueling activities.

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Mar 25 21:11

A guidance system test for the Atlas V rocket is getting underway.


Mar 25 21:17

The environmental control system has been transfered to the launch pad facilities from the portable trailers used during rollout. That has allowed the first trailer and undercarriage to be removed from the Mobile Launch Platform.

[tnt22]

Mar 25 22:24
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 for tomorrow's flight.

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John Kraus @johnkrausphotos 11:24 PM - Mar 25, 2020

The logo of the newly-formed United States Space Force is seen on the side of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket, which is poised to launch the AEHF-6 satellite to orbit from Cape Canaveral at 2:57pm EST Thursday.

( /for @SuperclusterHQ)

[tnt22]

Mar 25 23:24
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 the AEHF-6 launch. Cryogenic fueling of the rocket with liquid oxygen to the main stage and liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen occurs during the final two hours of the countdown tomorrow.

Launch of the Atlas V to deploy the AEHF-6 spacecraft for the U.S. Space Force's Space and Missile Systems Center remains scheduled for Thursday from Cape Canaveral. The two-hour launch window opens at 2:57 p.m. EDT (1857 UTC).

[tnt22]

Mar 25 23:56

Today's guidance system testing has been completed.

[tnt22]

Mar 26 00:11

The joint ULA and U.S. Space Force Space and Missile Systems Center team is wrapping up the planned activities for Rollout Day and the Atlas V rocket is being powered down for the night. The next event will be starting the launch countdown.

The countdown clocks will be positioned at T-minus 6 hours, 20 minutes in anticipation of initiating the countdown tomorrow.

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https://www.militarynews.ru/story.asp?rid=1&nid=529126&lang=RU

Пентагон в четверг планирует провести запуск спутника связи, несмотря на пандемию коронавируса в США
26.03.2020 1:15:21

Вашингтон. 26 марта. ИНТЕРФАКС - Ракета-носитель Atlas V в четверг должна стартовать на орбиту с очередным спутником спецсвязи AEHF в интересах Космических сил США, сообщила американская компания-оператор United Launch Alliance (ULA).

Запуск спутника AEHF-6 завершит формирование новейшей орбитальной группировки из шести космических аппаратов, предназначенной для обеспечения высшего военного руководства США защищенной и устойчивой к помехам связью для стратегического управления американскими вооруженными силами.

"Спутник AEHF-6 является высокозащищенным средством связи для передачи важнейшей оборонной информации для ключевых пользователей страны. Он обеспечит высшее руководство надежной линией связи с вооруженными силами в любом конфликте, в том числе в ядерной войне", - говорится в сообщении ULA.

Запуск ракеты-носителя Atlas V со спутником AEHF-6 планируется осуществить с 41-го стартового комплекса на авиабазе на мысе Канаверал в штате Флорида в двухчасовое временное окно, открывающееся в 14:57 по времени Восточного побережья США (21:57 мск). Спутник будет выведен на геостационарную орбиту высотой 35 888 км.

Предыдущие пять спутников AEHF были выведены на орбиту в течение 2010-2019 годов. Все шесть космических аппаратов должны будут заменить прежнюю орбитальную группировку из пяти спутников системы MILSTAR. Каждый аппарат AEHF в пять раз превосходит по своему потенциалу спутники MILSTAR, отмечает ULA.

При этом американское военное командование подчеркнуло, что запуск проводится на фоне пандемии коронавируса в США в условиях заморозки гражданских космических программ, но что для защиты обслуживающего запуск военного персонала предпринимаются все необходимые меры.

"Мы будем продолжать делать то, что у нас получается лучше всего, это обеспечивать гарантированный доступ в космос, а также заботиться о наших военных и их семьях", - сказал бригадный генерал Дуг Шисс, командир 45-го космического крыла на авиабазе на мысе Канаверал.

По его словам, Пентагон приказал командирам обеспечить защиту своим подразделениям в условиях пандемии коронавируса, продолжая выполнять важнейшие оборонные задания. По словам бригадного генерала, где это возможно, обслуживающий персонал будет выполнять свои задачи дистанционно, остальные будут обеспечивать запуск непосредственно на своих местах.

По имеющимся данным, в непосредственном обеспечении запуска на авиабазе на мысе Канаверал в четверг будет задействовано около 300 военных.

United Launch Alliance - совместное предприятие корпораций Boeing и Lockheed Martin, которое осуществляет запуски в интересах Пентагона и американского разведывательного сообщества.

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https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/03/25/atlas-5-aehf-6-mission-status-center/

03/26/2020 02:06 Stephen Clark

United Launch Alliance teams at Cape Canaveral are readying an Atlas 5 rocket for launch at 2:57 p.m. EDT (1857 GMT) Thursday with the U.S. Air Force's sixth Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite.

Built by Lockheed Martin, the AEHF 6 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 around 25,000 gallons of 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 Thursday afternoon.

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 before 1 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT).

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https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/03/25/space-forces-first-launch-scheduled-for-thursday/

Space Force's first launch scheduled for Thursday
March 25, 2020 | Stephen Clark


The logo of the U.S. Space Force is seen on the Atlas 5 rocket set to carry the AEHF 6 communications satellite into orbit. Credit: United Launch Alliance

The first launch of a U.S. Space Force mission since the establishment of the new military service is planned Thursday, when a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket is set for liftoff fr om Cape Canaveral with a billion-dollar jam-resistant communications satellite designed to ensure national leaders remain connected with the armed forces.

The sixth and final Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite is mounted on top of the Atlas 5 rocket awaiting liftoff Thursday, heading for a post more than 22,000 miles (nearly 36,000 kilometers) above Earth.

The AEHF 6 spacecraft is the first Space Force payload to launch since the military service was established in December. The AEHF satellites — like the military's navigation and missile warning satellite assets — were previously managed by Air Force Space Command before their transfer to the Space Force.

The Space Force remains part of the Department of the Air Force — much like the Marine Corps is part of the Department of the Navy.

"This AEHF 6 mission will be the first launch for the newly-established U.S. Space Force," said Col. Robert Bongiovi, AEHF 6 mission director and head of the launch enterprise office at the Space Force's Space and Missile Systems Center. "My entire team is squarely focused on ensuring mission for this satellite to provide certain, secure communications for the nation and its leaders."

Built by Lockheed Martin with a sophisticated communications payload fr om Northrop Grumman, the AEHF 6 spacecraft is the last in the Space Force's AEHF fleet. Five previous AEHF satellites have launched successfully on Atlas 5 rockets since August 2010.

Each of the AEHF satellites weigh around 13,600 pounds (6,168 kilograms) fully fueled at launch.

"While this is the final AEHF satellite launch, it really brings the constellation to full strength, capability and truly marks the beginning of the AEHF system's full lifecycle," said Mike Cacheiro, vice president for protected communications at Lockheed Martin, in a statement. "Still, it is a bittersweet moment for everyone involved, knowing this is our last launch for the AEHF program."

Atlas 5 launch preparations at Cape Canaveral are proceeding amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, which has disrupted launch schedules around the world. ULA and military officials said teams are engaging in social distancing to try and lim it the exposure of personnel to the virus, and 20 to 25 percent of the employees who would typically be present for the launch will not be there in person Thursday.

ULA teams rolled the 197-foot-tall (60-meter) Atlas 5 rocket from its Vertical Integration Facility to Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 launch pad Wednesday in preparation for Thursday's launch, which is scheduled at the opening of a two-hour window at 2:57 p.m. EDT (1857 GMT).

There is an 80 percent chance of favorable weather for launch Thursday, with mostly sunny skies and warm temperatures in the forecast.

Mounted on a mobile launch platform, the Atlas 5 followed rail tracks laid along the third-of-a-mile distance between the vertical hangar and pad 41. After arriving at the launch pad, the Atlas 5's first stage was fueled with rocket-grade kerosene ahead of the start of the seven-hour countdown Thursday.

During Thursday's countdown, ULA's launch team will activate the rocket's avionics and guidance system, run the Atlas 5 through a series of launch day checkouts, and fill the launcher with super-cold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants.


A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket approaches Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 launch pad during rollout Wednesday. Credit: United Launch Alliance

During a final built-in hold at T-minus 4 minutes, ULA's launch conductor will poll the Atlas 5 team for approval to begin the terminal countdown. Once the countdown clocks resumes, the Atlas 5 will be switched to internal battery power and its propellant tanks will pressurize in the final four minutes before launch.

In the last moments of the countdown, the first stage's Russian-made RD-180 main engine will start up, followed by ignition of the Atlas 5's five strap-on solid rocket boosters, which were manufactured by Aerojet Rocketdyne.

The main engine and solid rocket boosters will combine to generate around 2.6 million pounds of thrust, sending the Atlas 5 eastward over the Atlantic Ocean.

The Atlas 5 rocket will fly in its most powerful configuration, known as the 551 variant, for Thursday's mission. The launcher has a 5.4-meter-diameter (17.7-foot) payload fairing built in Switzerland by RUAG Space.

The rocket will shed its strap-on boosters at T+plus 1 minute, 46 seconds, leaving the liquid-fueled RD-180 engine to power the Atlas 5 until about four-and-a-half minutes into the mission. During that time, the Atlas 5's payload shroud will jettison to fall into the Atlantic Ocean.

Then the rocket's Centaur upper stage will ignite its Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C engine for the first of three planned burns to inject the AEHF 6 spacecraft into its planned elliptical geostationary transfer orbit. The RL10C engine will shut down at T+plus 11 minutes, 46 seconds, then reignite about 11 minutes later for a second firing.

After the first Centaur burn, the rocket will release a small secondary payload named TDO 2 into orbit around 31 minutes after liftoff.

Based on a suitcase-sized 12U CubeSat platform, TDO 2 carries multiple U.S. government payloads that will provide optical calibration capabilities, which will support space domain awareness, according to the U.S. Space Force's Space and Missile Systems Center.

"The mission of TDO 2 is to support space domain awareness through optical calibration and satellite laser ranging," SMC said in a statement. "This capability will assist the nation's warfighters in performing their critical missions."

The TDO 2 spacecraft was manufactured by Georgia Institute of Technology and sponsored by Air Force Research Laboratory, according to SMC. It is mounted to the aft end of the Atlas 5's Centaur upper stage.

A similar secondary payload named TDO 1 accompanied the AEHF 5 satellite into orbit on a previous Atlas 5 launch in August 2019.


The U.S. Space Force's AEHF 6 communications satellite is seen during encapsulation inside the Atlas 5 rocket's payload fairing Feb. 27. The spacecraft was readied for launch in an Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Florida. Credit: United Launch Alliance

Once the TDO 2 payload is deployed, the Centaur upper stage will coast for more than five hours. As the rocket reaches the high point of its orbit more than 20,000 miles from Earth, the RL10C engine will fire once more to raise the orbit's perigee, or low point, and nudge its tilt closer to the equator.

With that maneuver completed, the Centaur will release the AEHF 6 spacecraft around 5 hours, 41 minutes, after liftoff. The target orbit for Thursday's mission ranges in altitude between 6,758 miles (10,876 kilometers) and 21,933 miles (35,298 kilometers), with an inclination of 13.9 degrees.

The AEHF 6 satellite will use its own engine and plasma thrusters to maneuver into a circular geostationary orbit more than 22,000 miles over the equator, wh ere the craft's speed will match the rate of Earth's rotation. That will allow AEHF 6 to remain over the same part of the world 24 hours per day.

Military officials have not disclosed the geographic coverage area for AEHF 6.

Designed to operate at least 14 years, the AEHF satellites are follow-ons to the Air Force's Milstar satellite network.

Each of the AEHF satellites, which are spread around the world to enable global coverage, provides more capacity than the entire five-satellite Milstar constellation, which launched in the 1990s and 2000s. The AEHF satellites are cross-linked with one another, allowing the network to beam signals around the world without going through a ground station.

AEHF 6 will go straight into operations once it passes post-launch tests, according to Col. John Dukes, Jr., senior materiel leader for the geosynchronous orbit division SMC's production corps.

The AEHF satellites provide connectivity at different specified data rates between 75 bits per second to 8 megabits per second. Those data rates are slow by modern standards, but what distinguishes the AEHF satellites is their ability to resist jamming and continue operating, even in the event of nuclear war.

Each satellite also carries gimbaled dish antennas to reach users on-the-move, phased array antennas with beams can be steered electronically rather than mechanically, and nulling antennas to provide "extremely high anti-jam capability to in-theater users," according to Northrop Grumman, supplier of the AEHF communications payload.

"AEHF, if we were to have to operate in (the highest bandwidth) mode, will enable the President of the United States, national leaders and four international allies to be able to communicate in voice-recognizable communication, even through any event," Dukes said.

The governments of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have joined the AEHF program.

"Across the globe, we have numerous Army, Navy, Air Force, and joint international partner terminals with the AEHF constellation online," Dukes said. "We have enough bandwidth to service all the terminals in our concept of operations. So by upgrading from the Milstar to the AEHF constellation, we're able to provide that capability from now to beyond 2030."

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Tory Bruno ✔@torybruno 1:19 PM - Mar 26, 2020

Weather's looking good.  Mighty Atlas is champing at the bit. Feels like a good day to go to space. #AEHF6

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Mar 26 15:07
Countdown Begins

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

The countdown has been initiated for liftoff of the Atlas V rocket and AEHF-6 spacecraft this afternoon from Cape Canaveral in the U.S. Space Force's first dedicated launch.

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. That will lead us to a liftoff at 2:57 p.m. EDT (1857 UTC).

The Atlas V rocket, designated AV-086, will launch AEHF-6 into a customized high-perigee, reduced-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 spacecraft, and the Centaur upper stage will perform three burns to haul the heavy payload to the optimized orbit.

Our rocket variant being flown today 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 and will weigh nearly 1.3 million pounds once fully fueled.

[tnt22]

Mar 26 15:22

This is Atlas Launch Control at 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.

[tnt22]

Mar 26 15:37

The launch team is controlling the countdown from the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center, or ASOC, located about four miles from the launch pad, in conjunction with a team of personnel performing hands-on tasks at Space Launch Complex-41. The Cape also has assistance from design teams at ULA's Denver Operations Support Center, or DOSC.

Engineers and specialists from the U.S. Space Force and Aerospace Corp. are monitoring systems from consoles at Cape Canaveral's Hangar AE. Range functions and weather forecasting duties are being performed by Space Force officials at the Morrell Operations Center here at the Cape.

And a team at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville is monitoring he health of AEHF-6 atop the Atlas V rocket.