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Atlas V AFSPC-11 Launch Highlights

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the AFSPC-11 mission for the U.S. Air Force lifts off from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on April 14, 201...

AFSPC-11

Overview

Destination: Geostationary Transfer Orbit
Mission: Government/Top Secret

Geostationary Transfer Orbit Space Launch Complex 41 Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA Probability: 90% #AFSPC11

Primary payload of the mission is the Continuous Broadcast Augmenting SATCOM (CBAS) satellite, which will be placed in geosynchronous orbit. It will continously relay data from from existing military communications satellites to support senior leaders and combatant commanders. This mission will also launch a number of secondary payloads hosted on the ESPA Augmented Geostationary Laboratory Experiment (EAGLE).

Atlas V 551

Family:
Configuration: 551

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 standard payload fairing sizes are 4 or 5 meters in diameter and of various lengths. Fairings sizes as large as 7.2 m in diameter and up to 32.3 m in length have been considered. The rocket is assembled in Decatur, Alabama and Harlingen, Texas.

Specifications
  • Minimum Stage
    1
  • Max Stage
    2
  • Length
    59.7 m
  • Diameter
    3.8 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    5.4 m
  • Launch Mass
    573.0 T
  • Thrust
    12269.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Atlas V 551
  • Family
  • Variant
    551
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Atlas V 551
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $153000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    18850.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    8890.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
    3850.0 kg
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

United Launch Alliance

United Launch Alliance

(ULA)

Interim CEO: John Elbon Founded: 2006 Successes: 170 Failures: 0 Pending: 41

Agency Type:

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.

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Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Space Launch Complex 41


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