This morning noticed the top of an period for United Launch Alliance (ULA). At daybreak, the protection contractor’s Atlas V rocket launched its remaining nationwide safety mission for the US Area Drive (USSF). USSF-51 positioned a categorized satellite tv for pc into an undisclosed orbit. It was the 58th and remaining nationwide safety mission for the Atlas V, the last word member of a household of rockets which has served the US for the reason that daybreak of the Area Age. Whereas the Atlas will proceed launching Starliner crew capsules and Amazon Kuiper satellites via the top of the last decade, the army is transitioning all of its payloads to a brand new era of launchers.
USSF-51 was not initially purported to fly on an Atlas V. The Area Drive awarded the contract to ULA, a three way partnership between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, in 2020 as its first mission underneath the Nationwide Safety Area Launch (NSSL) Section 2 program. The corporate meant to launch the satellite tv for pc on its next-generation Vulcan rocket. Nonetheless, the mission shifted to an Atlas V in 2021, largely resulting from delays within the improvement of the BE-4 major engines which Blue Origin is constructing for Vulcan [1]. This determination finally led to a fittingly spectacular sendoff for the ultimate army Atlas V.
At the moment’s launch utilized the “551” configuration of the Atlas V. This variant of the rocket, nicknamed “The Bruiser” by ULA CEO Tory Bruno, is probably the most highly effective Atlas V in service. It options 5 strap-on stable rocket boosters to maximise thrust at liftoff, a fairing with a five-meter diameter to accommodate giant payloads, and a Centaur higher stage with a single engine. Meeting of the rocket started on July third when ULA groups secured the bronze-colored Atlas booster onto its cellular launch platform. The 5 smaller facet boosters have been then bolted into place, adopted by the Centaur and the already-encapsulated categorized satellite tv for pc. The flight-ready rocket was rolled out to Area Launch Advanced 41, the house of 4 generations of Boeing, Lockheed, and ULA rockets, on July twenty seventh.
The Area Drive’s remaining Atlas V mission started lower than half an hour after dawn. At 6:45 AM, the rocket ignited its two RD-180 major engines. Two seconds later, the 5 strap-on boosters concurrently ignited, offering the thrust required to carry the rocket off the launch pad. The smooth mild and stark shadows of “golden hour” produced a good looking sight for the Area Coast residents who witnessed the launch. Nearly instantly, the Atlas V started pitching downrange to speed up in direction of orbit. The rocket quickly accelerated underneath the thrust of the 5 boosters, leaving an in depth plume of exhaust in its wake.
Simply 35 seconds after liftoff, USSF-51 handed via Mach 1. One minute and 45 seconds after liftoff, the boosters depleted the final of their gas and have been jettisoned, tumbling away from the remainder of the rocket. Simply over three minutes after the Atlas V departed from SLC-41, the payload fairing adopted go well with. The following milestone within the flight was scheduled to be the separation of the primary stage. Nonetheless, ULA terminated its broadcast in the intervening time of fairing separation to be able to shield the identification of the Area Drive’s payload. The timing of the milestones for the rest of the mission, together with the variety of burns which the Centaur will conduct and their durations, are categorized to be able to maximize the tactical benefit which USSF-51 will present for army servicemembers.
The exact identification of USSF-51 is a closely-kept secret. Some shops wrote that the satellite tv for pc was certain for geosynchronous orbit [e.g. 2]. This can be a standard vacation spot for army spacecraft, because it permits them to face vigil over a single level on Earth; leveraging Centaur’s 8-hour endurance to put satellites instantly into these orbits is one in every of ULA’s specialties. Nonetheless, even this has not been confirmed by ULA or the Division of Protection (DoD).
We all know that USSF-51 is probably going not a spy satellite tv for pc. ULA has launched each Orion sign intelligence spacecraftand KENNAN high-resolution imaging missions up to now, however these launches are sometimes given Nationwide Reconnaissance Workplace (NRO) designations somewhat than USSF identifiers. Different Area Drive Atlas V missions have launched International Area Situational Consciousness Program (GSSAP) satellites which examine adversary spacecraft, Area-Base Infrared System (SBIRS) satellites which give early warning of ballistic missile launches, and Superior Extraordinarily Excessive Frequency (AEHF) satellites which facilitate communications between giant networks of ships, plane, and floor forces.
These three courses of spacecraft are the most probably candidates for USSF-51’s payload. Based on Area Operations Command (SpOC), the following GSSAP satellite tv for pc was scheduled to be deployed this yr [3]. This may be probably the most believable identification for the latest member of the Area Drive’s fleet primarily based on present knowledge. Nonetheless, USSF-51’s true identification will doubtless stay mysterious for a while to come back. “It’s one of the vital vital payloads we’ve put updated,” mentioned ULA Vice President Gary Wentz [4].
Bruno confirmed that Atlas V efficiently reached orbit [5]. This introduced its 58th and remaining army mission to an in depth. USSF-51 was additionally ULA’s 100th mission for the DoD, its anchor buyer. The Atlas household of rockets has a protracted and proud historical past of defending the US’ nationwide safety. The preliminary Atlas variant, the SM-65, was America’s first intercontinental ballistic missile. It established nuclear deterrence with the Soviet Union on the top of the Chilly Battle. Subsequent Atlas configurations have been paired with the light-weight, environment friendly Centaur higher stage to allow orbital launches. Quite a few upgrades have allowed the Atlas household to put a gentle string of army payloads into orbit for over six many years, starting with the MIDAS missile warning satellites in 1960.
In the end, the Atlas V was priced out of the market by SpaceX’s cheaper Falcon household. Starting in 2015, ULA started growing the Vulcan rocket, a extra inexpensive and partially reusable successor to the heritage Atlas and Delta autos. Due to Vulcan, ULA received the lion’s share of the NSSL Section 2 contract and is well-positioned to play a keystone function within the upcoming Section 3. The brand new rocket is presently scheduled to take over the Atlas V’s army workload on the finish of this calendar yr. ULA hopes that Vulcan will proceed the corporate’s enviable 100% mission success charge for years to come back.
As for the Atlas V, it nonetheless has 15 launches left on its manifest. These remaining rockets will deploy one satellite tv for pc for ViaSat and the primary eight clutches of satellites in Amazon’s Kuiper megaconstellation. Different Atlas boosters will launch Boeing’s Starliner capsule to the ISS on six crew rotation missions for NASA. Subsequently, ULA’s workhorse rocket will often grace the Area Coast via the top of the last decade.
