AFSPC-7/USSF-7: X-37B OTV-6 – Atlas V 501 – CCAFS SLC-41 – 17.05.2020 13:14 UTC

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https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article/2177702/next-x-37b-orbital-test-vehicle-scheduled-to-launch

Next X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Scheduled to Launch
By Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs / Published May 06, 2020

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Encapsulated X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle for United States Space Force-7 mission

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, in partnership with the U.S. Space Force, is scheduled to launch the sixth mission of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV-6) on May 16 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
 
The Department of the Air Force continues to push the flight envelope for the X-37B, and will build upon its growing collaboration with experiment partners with its sixth mission.
 
"In today's age of electrons, space systems track storms, locate stranded motorists, timestamp credit card transactions, and monitor treaty compliance," said Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett. "Demonstrating the department's innovation, this X-37B mission will host more experiments than any prior missions. This launch also demonstrates the department's collaboration that pushes the boundaries for reusable space systems."
 
The ability to test new systems in space and return them to Earth is unique to the X-37B program and enables the U.S. to more efficiently and effectively develop space capabilities necessary to maintain superiority in the space domain.
 
"The X-37B team continues to exemplify the kind of lean, agile and forward-leaning technology development we need as a nation in the space domain," said U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations, Gen. John "Jay" Raymond. "Each launch represents a significant milestone and advancement in terms of how we build, test, and deploy space capabilities in a rapid and responsive manner."
 
The X-37B remains a Department of the Air Force asset; however, the U.S. Space Force is responsible for the launch, on-orbit operations, and landing.
 
"This launch is a prime example of integrated operations between the Air Force, Space Force, and government-industry partnerships," said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein. "The X-37B continues to break barriers in advancing reusable space vehicle technologies and is a significant investment in advancing future space capabilities."
 
This will be the first X-37B mission to use a service module to host experiments. The service module is an attachment to the aft of the vehicle that allows additional experimental payload capability to be carried to orbit.
 
"This sixth mission is a big step for the X-37B program," said Mr. Randy Walden, Director and Program Executive Officer for the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. "This will be the first X-37B mission to use a service module to host experiments. The incorporation of a service module on this mission enables us to continue to expand the capabilities of the spacecraft and host more experiments than any of the previous missions."
 
The mission will deploy the FalconSat-8, a small satellite developed by the U.S. Air Force Academy and sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory to conduct several experiments on orbit. The FalconSat-8 is an educational platform that will carry five experimental payloads for USAFA to operate. In addition, two National Aeronautics and Space Administration experiments will be included to study the results of radiation and other space effects on a materials sample plate and seeds used to grow food. Finally, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, will transform solar power into radio frequency microwave energy which could then be transmitted to the ground.
 
"We are excited to return the X-37B to space and conduct numerous on-orbit experiments for both the Air Force and its mission partners," said Lt. Col. Jonathan Keen, the X-37B program manager.
 
The X-37B program completed its fifth mission in October 2019, landing after 780 days on orbit, extending the total number of days spent on orbit for the spacecraft to 2,865 - or seven years and 10 months.

[АниКей]

Planet Today
00:08
Пентагон объявил о новой миссии секретного космического беспилотника
«Космический  самолет», как его называют, в общей сложности провел 2865 дней в  космосе, включая 780 дней на орбите для своей последней миссии...
ГЛАС.RU

00:26
Пентагон объявил о новой миссии своего секретного космического беспилотника
07 Мая – ГЛАС. В среду, 6 мая ВВС США заявили, что в этом месяце отправят на орбиту свой высокотехнологичный космический беспилотный самолет X-37B...

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https://www.usafa.af.mil/News/News-Display/Article/2178870/air-force-academy-satellite-to-launch-aboard-x-37b-orbital-test-vehicle/

Air Force Academy satellite to launch aboard X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle
U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs / Published May 06, 2020


Cadets and instructors in the U.S. Air Force Academy's FalconSAT program pose for a group photograph at the Academy. They were directly involved in building a satellite scheduled to launch into space May 16 aboard the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, sponsored by the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office and built by Boeing. This is the first time a satellite built and designed by cadets will catch a ride into space aboard the X-37B. (U.S. Air Force Academy photo)

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- A satellite built by Air Force Academy cadets will launch into space May 16 aboard the X-37B, Orbital Test Vehicle sponsored by the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office and built by Boeing. This is the first time a satellite built and designed by cadets will catch a ride into space aboard the X-37B.

(See the May 6 report from the Secretary of the Air Force about the launch here: https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article/2177702/next-x-37b-orbital-test-vehicle-scheduled-to-launch)

Lt. Col. Dan Showalter, assistant astronautics professor at the Academy, said "as novel as this mode of transportation might be, the purpose for cadets in the school's space program is the same as it was when the school's space program began in the 80s."

"FalconSAT-8 is an educational platform for cadets. We perform technology demonstrations for the Air Force," he said. Showalter added that several cadets, including Class of 2020 graduates Reagan Good and Claudio Yambao, traveled to Cape Canaveral, Florida to deliver, test, and integrate FalconSAT-8 with the X-37B.

"Few undergraduate programs allow their students to work on flight hardware and design and build their own flight components," Good said. "Cadets are given hands-on work that allows us to get a feel for real engineering on real projects."

FalconSAT-8 will carry five experimental payloads, and members of the Cadet Space Operations Squadron will operate FalconSAT-8.

There's little doubt that the work by cadets will have an effect on the new Space Force, which opened for business in December and is designed to maintain and enhance the competitive edge of the Defense Department in space. Eighty-six cadets in this year's graduating class commission into the Space Force.

'Learning Space by Doing Space'

The Academy's space program consists of aerospace experts, mechanics, and engineers. The FalconSAT program serves as an academic platform for an array of aerospace industry and DOD experiments. Cadets design spacecraft and integrate payloads in the Space Systems Research Center with faculty support.

FalconSAT-8 is the Academy's capstone undergraduate systems engineering course managed by the school's Astronautics department.

Yambao said the space program's motto, "Learning Space by Doing Space," means cadets get to experience the postgraduate engineering world on campus.

"It entails building and testing components of a spacecraft and understanding how it plays a role in the entire space engineering community," he said.

The FalconSAT Program provides cadets with experiential, hands-on learning opportunities with the latest space technology, Showalter said.

"It's like an engineering internship – we fly experimental technologies for the Air Force to evaluate their performance on-orbit," he said.

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Зона затопления 2-й ст РН Атлас V в юго-восточной части Индийского океана

NOTAM

YMMM

F1420/20 - ROCKET LAUNCH WILL TAKE PLACE
FLW RECEIVED FROM GOVERNMENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
HAZARDOUS OPS WILL BE CONDUCTED FOR ATMOSPHERIC RE-ENTRY AND SPLASHDOWN OF LAUNCH VEHICLE ATLAS V USSF-7 AND PARTICIPATING SUPPORT ACFT WI THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
3603S 09654E
3340S 09830E
3732S 10822E
4003S 10700E
3603S 09654E.
SFC - UNL, 2005161319 TO 2005161528 2005171409 TO 2005171607 2005181449 TO 2005181509,
16 MAY 13:19 2020 UNTIL 18 MAY 15:09 2020.
CREATED: 07 MAY 22:55 2020

Пуск - 16 мая
Резервные дни - 17 и 18 мая.

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ULA @ulalaunch · 1 ч. назад

Saturday's launch of the #USSF7 mission will carry into space the #X37B Orbital Test Vehicle. United Launch Alliance successfully launched the first four OTV missions.


44 мин. назад

The next #X37B Orbital Test Vehicle mission is scheduled to take flight on Saturday atop the #AtlasV rocket. For updates, visit:
http://bit.ly/av_ussf7

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Tory Bruno @torybruno · 1 ч. назад

Seems like a good week to go to space.

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ULA @ulalaunch · 7 ч. назад

#ICYMI: Last week, the #USSF7 payload featuring #X37B Orbital Test Vehicle was hoisted atop ULA's #AtlasV rocket.

Launching May 16: http://bit.ly/av_ussf7
Learn more about spacecraft mate in the blog: https://bit.ly/2y1lQyk

(0:17)

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Полигон открыт

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Прогноз погоды L-4 на 16 мая 2020 г.

Atlas V USSF-7 L-4

Пусковой день   (16.05) - 60 % GO
Резервный день (17.05) - 80 % GO

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Воздушное пространство над полигоном будет закрыто 16 мая с 12:24 до 14:53 UTC

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https://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/atlas-v-ussf-7

May 13, 2020 01:04
Weather 60% GO for Saturday's launch

The initial forecast from Launch Weather Officer Jessica Williams for Saturday's launch of Atlas V and the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle indicates a 60 percent chance of acceptable conditions.

"From Friday night through Saturday, there is a split in the reliable model consensus. One scenario develops an area of low pressure over the Bahamas Friday night but lifts it northeastward, bringing favorable weather on the northwest side. The second scenario delays the development of this low, instead lifting a tropical wave northward from the Bahamas, bringing higher winds and rain chances Saturday," the launch weather team says.

"Confidence in Saturday's forecast will increase as model consensus aligns closer to launch day. Therefore, the primary concerns for launch are ground winds and the Cumulus Cloud Rule."

The operations forecast includes scattered low- and high-level clouds, a chance of isolated showers, good visibility, easterly winds 15 to 18 knots and a temperature near 76 degrees F.

If the launch is postponed to Sunday for some reason, there is an 80 percent chance of good conditions.

"For backup day, confidence is higher in the forecast as all models indicate this wave or low exiting to the northeast by early Sunday, bringing drier conditions and lighter winds on the northwest side," the launch weather team says.

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Опубликована брошюра миссии

atlasv_ussf-7_mob.pdf - 3.9 MB, 2 стр

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Прогноз погоды L-3 на 16 мая 2020 г.

Atlas V USSF-7 L-3

Пусковой день    (16.05) - ↓ 40 % GO
Резервный день (17.05) - = 80 % GO

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Уведомления мореплавателям

Зоны полигона (A), падения ГО (B), падения 1-й ст РН (C), затопления 2-й ст РН (SOUTHEASTERN INDIAN OCEAN)

NAVAREA IV 388/20

WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
FLORIDA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING
161224Z TO 161453Z MAY, ALTERNATE
171314Z TO 171532Z AND 181354Z TO 181434Z MAY
IN AREAS BOUND BY:
A. 28-36-51N 080-35-57W, 28-41-00N 080-26-00W,
28-36-00N 080-23-00W, 28-31-36N 080-33-34W.
B. 32-28-00N 075-12-00W, 33-50-00N 072-51-00W,
33-08-00N 072-17-00W, 31-45-00N 074-41-00W.
C. 38-43-00N 062-38-00W, 40-23-00N 058-26-00W,
39-18-00N 057-47-00W, 37-34-00N 061-56-00W.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 181534Z MAY 20.//

Authority: EASTERN RANGE 071623Z MAY 20.

Date: 120312Z MAY 20
Cancel: 18153400 May 20


HYDROPAC 1415/20

SOUTHEASTERN INDIAN OCEAN.
DNC 03, DNC 04.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
161319Z TO 161528Z MAY, ALTERNATE
171409Z TO 171607Z AND 181449Z TO 181509Z MAY
IN AREA BOUND BY
36-03S 096-54E, 33-40S 098-30E,
37-32S 108-22E, 40-03S 107-00E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 181609Z MAY 20.//

Authority: EASTERN RANGE 071656Z MAY 20.

Date: 120340Z MAY 20
Cancel: 18160900 May 20

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May 13, 2020 19:53
Launch Readiness Review completed

The Launch Readiness Review (LRR) has given the "go" to continue preparations for Saturday's liftoff of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on the USSF-7 mission carrying the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle for the U.S. Space Force Space and Missile Systems Center.

Liftoff is scheduled from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The LRR, led by ULA Launch Director Paul Aragon, was completed this morning at the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center (ASOC).

Leadership from ULA, the Space Force and 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.

Launch Weather Officer Jessica Williams has lowered the odds of acceptable weather on Saturday to 40 percent due to the uncertainty with the exact location and intensity of a developing subtropical depression or storm just off the Florida coast.

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

United Launch Alliance will offer live reports from the ASOC in our automatically-refreshing blog during the Atlas V's rollout to the launch pad, plus provide comprehensive countdown coverage.

Our live video broadcast of the launch can be viewed on this page side-by-side with the running text updates.

At the request of our customer, live coverage will conclude after staging and Centaur Main Engine Start-1, approximately five minutes into flight.

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Dr Marco Langbroek @Marco_Langbroek 4 ч. назад

New blog post:
"OTV 6 (USSF 7), the next X-37B launch, appears to go into a 44-degree inclined orbit"
https://sattrackcam.blogspot.com/2020/05/otv-6-ussf-7-next-x-37b-launch-appears.html...
@SSC_NL

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Atlas V USSF-7 Mission Profile

United Launch Alliance

13 мая 2020 г.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/W4sOJ9_ZVz0 (1:51)