ULA launches two place surveillance satellites for U.S. Area Force – SpaceNews
The Northrop Grumman-created satellites, named GSSAP-5 and GSSAP-6, are part of the Geosynchronous Place Situational Recognition Program
WASHINGTON — In its first mission of 2022, a United Start Alliance Atlas 5 rocket on Jan. 21 released a pair of space-monitoring satellites for the U.S. Area Power.
The rocket lifted off at 2:00 p.m. Jap from House Launch Sophisticated-41 at Cape Canaveral Place Force Station, Florida.
The mission, identified as USSF-8, introduced to an orbit about 22,000 miles earlier mentioned the equator.
The satellites, named GSSAP-5 and GSSAP-6, are aspect of the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Method (GSSAP). These are the fifth and sixth satellites of the GSSAP application designed by Northrop Grumman.
USSF-8 marked the 91st launch of the Atlas 5 rocket. ULA mentioned this was the 1st and only planned flight of the Atlas 5 in the 511 configuration with a single good rocket booster and a 5-meter diameter fairing. ULA CEO Tory Bruno explained on a webcast that this asymmetric “big slider” configuration was picked in buy to provide “just the suitable sum of energy” for this specific mission.
About two minutes into flight, the GEM-63 sound rocket booster was jettisoned. The payload fairing separated from the rocket about three and a 50 percent minutes just after launch. A minute afterwards, the RD-180 motor on Atlas’ initially stage shut down, and the Centaur higher stage carrying the USSF-8 payload separated. The first engine burn up of the Centaur higher stage was confirmed 13 minutes into flight, the first of three engine burns more than a a lot more than seven-hour flight to inject the satellites instantly into geosynchronous orbit. Separation of GSSAP-5 is envisioned 6 hours and 35 minutes just after start, adopted by the GSSAP-6 launch about 10 minutes later on.
Chief of Space Operations Gen. John “Jay” Raymond known as USSF-8 a “really crucial mission” simply because the GSSAP satellites are applied to monitor objects in the geostationary belt. “The way I would explain it is as a neighborhood enjoy ability that lets us to better fully grasp what is going on in the area especially in a seriously crucial orbit like the GEO orbit,” mentioned Raymond.
The to start with two pairs of GSSAP satellites were being released in 2014 and 2016 on ULA Delta 4 medium rockets. ”These next two satellites will increase to that functionality and empower us to comprehend additional wholly items that take place in the geosynchronous orbit. It’s a key piece in the puzzle for space area awareness,” stated Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of the Space Force’s Space Functions Command.
The Northrop Grumman-created satellites, named GSSAP-5 and GSSAP-6, are part of the Geosynchronous Place Situational Recognition Program
WASHINGTON — In its first mission of 2022, a United Start Alliance Atlas 5 rocket on Jan. 21 released a pair of space-monitoring satellites for the U.S. Area Power.
The rocket lifted off at 2:00 p.m. Jap from House Launch Sophisticated-41 at Cape Canaveral Place Force Station, Florida.
The mission, identified as USSF-8, introduced to an orbit about 22,000 miles earlier mentioned the equator.
The satellites, named GSSAP-5 and GSSAP-6, are aspect of the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Method (GSSAP). These are the fifth and sixth satellites of the GSSAP application designed by Northrop Grumman.
USSF-8 marked the 91st launch of the Atlas 5 rocket. ULA mentioned this was the 1st and only planned flight of the Atlas 5 in the 511 configuration with a single good rocket booster and a 5-meter diameter fairing. ULA CEO Tory Bruno explained on a webcast that this asymmetric “big slider” configuration was picked in buy to provide “just the suitable sum of energy” for this specific mission.
About two minutes into flight, the GEM-63 sound rocket booster was jettisoned. The payload fairing separated from the rocket about three and a 50 percent minutes just after launch. A minute afterwards, the RD-180 motor on Atlas’ initially stage shut down, and the Centaur higher stage carrying the USSF-8 payload separated. The first engine burn up of the Centaur higher stage was confirmed 13 minutes into flight, the first of three engine burns more than a a lot more than seven-hour flight to inject the satellites instantly into geosynchronous orbit. Separation of GSSAP-5 is envisioned 6 hours and 35 minutes just after start, adopted by the GSSAP-6 launch about 10 minutes later on.
Chief of Space Operations Gen. John “Jay” Raymond known as USSF-8 a “really crucial mission” simply because the GSSAP satellites are applied to monitor objects in the geostationary belt. “The way I would explain it is as a neighborhood enjoy ability that lets us to better fully grasp what is going on in the area especially in a seriously crucial orbit like the GEO orbit,” mentioned Raymond.
The to start with two pairs of GSSAP satellites were being released in 2014 and 2016 on ULA Delta 4 medium rockets. ”These next two satellites will increase to that functionality and empower us to comprehend additional wholly items that take place in the geosynchronous orbit. It’s a key piece in the puzzle for space area awareness,” stated Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of the Space Force’s Space Functions Command.
