Atlas 5 launches AEHF-6
Posted: Fri, Mar 27, 2020, 2:13 PM ET (1813 GMT)
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 successfully launched a military communications satellite Thursday afternoon. The Atlas 5 551 lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 4:18 pm EDT (2018 GMT), nearly 90 minutes later than planned after a problem with a ground system hydraulic pump controller halted the countdown in its final minute. The payload, the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) 6 satellite, was deployed from the rocket's Centaur upper stage several hours later. The Lockheed Martin-built satellite completes the AEHF system, which provides protected military communications. The launch also carried a cubesat secondary payload, TDO-2, with payloads that will test optical calibration and satellite laser-ranging technologies for space domain awareness.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 successfully launched a military communications satellite Thursday afternoon. The Atlas 5 551 lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 4:18 pm EDT (2018 GMT), nearly 90 minutes later than planned after a problem with a ground system hydraulic pump controller halted the countdown in its final minute. The payload, the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) 6 satellite, was deployed from the rocket's Centaur upper stage several hours later. The Lockheed Martin-built satellite completes the AEHF system, which provides protected military communications. The launch also carried a cubesat secondary payload, TDO-2, with payloads that will test optical calibration and satellite laser-ranging technologies for space domain awareness.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, March 25
Too Little, Too Late? Russia Launches 16 Satellites to Rival Starlink’s Thousands-Strong Constellation
United24 Media — 5:25 am ET (0925 GMT) Launch Services To Gain From Artemis Moon Mission Revamp
Aviation Week — 5:19 am ET (0919 GMT) Texas Supreme Court weighs constitutional beach access in case against SpaceX
Texas Standard — 5:18 am ET (0918 GMT) Texas quietly approves Starbase launch site expansion
San Antonio Express-News — 5:17 am ET (0917 GMT) SpaceX Reschedules Rocket Launch to Wednesday Night
Santa Barbara (CA) Edhat — 5:16 am ET (0916 GMT) |
