Watch the Launch

SBIRS GEO-6

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Geostationary Transfer Orbit
Mission: Government/Top Secret

Geostationary Transfer Orbit Space Launch Complex 41 Cape Canaveral, FL, USA Probability: 80%

Sixth geosynchronous satellite of the Space Based Infrared System program (SBIRS), providing capabilities for early missile warning and missile defense. SBIRS GEO-6 is the second satellite using Lockheed Martin's LM2100 combat bus.

Telemetry

Launch trajectory and telemetry simulations provided by Flight Club - a rocket launch simulator and orbital trajectory visualiser for all things space!

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • Aug. 4, 2022, 2:24 p.m.

Launch success


SwGustav • Aug. 4, 2022, 10:29 a.m.

Liftoff


SwGustav • Aug. 4, 2022, 10:13 a.m.

Coverage is live; updating weather


Atlas V 421

Family: Atlas
Configuration: 421

Atlas V is an expendable launch system in the Atlas rocket family. It was formerly operated by Lockheed Martin and is now operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture with Boeing. Each Atlas V rocket uses a Russian-built RD-180 engine burning kerosene and liquid oxygen to power its first stage and an American-built RL10 engine burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to power its Centaur upper stage. The RD-180 engines are provided by RD Amross, while Aerojet Rocketdyne provides both the RL10 engines and the strap-on boosters used in some configurations. The 421 version uses a 4m wide fairing, 2 solid rocket boosters and one engine on the Centaur stage.

See Atlas Details
Specifications
  • Max Stage
    2
  • Length
    58.3 m
  • Diameter
    3.8 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    433 T
  • Thrust
Family
  • Name
    Atlas V 421
  • Family
    Atlas
  • Variant
    421
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Atlas V 421
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $123000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    14067 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    6890 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

United Launch Alliance

Circle Image
CEO: Tory Bruno Founded: 2006 Successes: 161 Failures: 0 Pending: 45

Agency Type: Commercial

United Launch Alliance (ULA) is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. ULA was formed in December 2006 by combining the teams at these companies which provide spacecraft launch services to the government of the United States. ULA launches from both coasts of the US. They launch their Atlas V vehicle from LC-41 in Cape Canaveral and LC-3E at Vandeberg. Their Delta IV launches from LC-37 at Cape Canaveral and LC-6 at Vandenberg.

INFO WIKI

Related News

Spaceflight Now

Photos: Cape Canaveral’s first launch doubleheader in more than 50 years

The launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Aug. 4 occurred 12 hours and 39 minutes after the liftoff of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket from neighboring launch pads at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the shortest turnaround between…

NASA Spaceflight

ULA’s Atlas V launches final SBIRS GEO missile detection satellite

United Launch Alliance was in action Thursday, using an Atlas V rocket to deploy a missile detection satellite for the US Space Force. Liftoff of the SBIRS GEO 6 mission from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is occurred at the openin…

SpaceNews

ULA launches the last SBIRS U.S. Space Force missile warning satellite

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket carrying a U.S. Space Force missile-warning satellite lifted off Aug. 4 at 6:29 a.m. Eastern from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

Spaceflight Now

Cape Canaveral on the cusp of new records amid blistering launch rate

With two rockets from industry rivals United Launch Alliance and SpaceX ready for liftoff just 12 hours apart Thursday, the Cape Canaveral spaceport is poised to surpass the record for most missions in a year to fly into orbit from its lau…

Spaceflight Now

Final SBIRS missile warning satellite ready for launch

The last in a line of six satellites for the U.S. military’s Space Based Infrared System, or SBIRS, missile warning program is ready for launch Thursday from Cape Canaveral on top of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket.

Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

Space Launch Complex 41


Falcon 9
Success
17 hours, 24 minutes ago
Starlink Group 6-54
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
1 day, 14 hours ago
Galileo L12 (FOC FM25 & FM27)
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Two satellites for Europe's Galileo navigation system. Originally planned for launch on Soyuz-ST and then Ariane 6 but both were unavailable. Gali…


Long March 2
Success
4 days, 2 hours ago
Shenzhou 18
Launch Area 4 (SLS-1 / 921) - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Seventh crewed flight to the Chinese space station.


Electron
Success
5 days, 17 hours ago
Beginning Of The Swarm (ACS3 & NeonSat-1)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B - Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) is a technology demonstration mission tasked with deploying a composite boom solar sail. NeonSa…


Falcon 9
Success
5 days, 17 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-53
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 2D
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Yaogan 42-02
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

The Yaogan 42-02 is a Chinese military “remote sensing” satellite of unknown purposes.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
Starlink Group 6-52
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

A batch of satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 4 days ago
Starlink Group 6-51
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 2D
Success
2 weeks ago
SuperView Neo 3-01
Launch Area 4 (SLS-2 / 603) - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Commercial Earth observation satellite built by CAST for China Siwei Survey and Mapping Technology Co. Ltd, with 0.5 m resolution over 9 image wavele…


Falcon 9
Success
2 weeks, 2 days ago
Starlink Group 6-49
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.