ULA to launch geosynchronous orbit surveillance satellite tv for pc for the U.S. Space Force – Spaceflight Now

United Launch Alliance is gearing up for a predawn launch of its Vulcan rocket on Thursday morning, the businesses first flight of the yr.

The United States Space Force (USSF)-87 mission consists of a number of satellites, although the precise quantity was not publicly disclosed previous to launch. This is ULA’s second nationwide safety mission utilizing its Vulcan rockets and also will be the corporate’s longest mission up to now.

“This mission will last, total duration from launch to end of mission, 10 hours. As has been stated before, Vulcan was purpose built and this is the type of mission that the team actually designed this launch vehicle to support,” mentioned Gary Wentz, ULA’s vp of Atlas and Vulcan Programs.

“It’s significant payloads to very complex orbits, multi-manifested national security space, direct to GEO (geosynchronous Earth orbit). So this is tailor fit for that mission. This is why we put the Vulcan in place and designed it this way.”

Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is scheduled for 3:30 a.m. EST (0830 UTC), on the opening of a two-hour window. The rocket will fly on an easterly trajectory upon leaving the launch pad.

Spaceflight Now can have stay protection starting about an hour previous to liftoff.



The forty fifth Weather Squadron forecast idyllic climate in the course of the launch window, exhibiting a 95 % likelihood for good circumstances at liftoff. However, they’re keeping track of photo voltaic exercise, anticipating “an increased probability of X-ray flares” in the course of the major and backup launch dates.

“With light winds overnight, there’s a chance shallow mist may decrease visibility in the early morning hours on Thursday morning,” launch climate officers wrote. “The surface high begins to break down on Thursday as a weak frontal boundary approaches in the afternoon. No significant precipitation is expected with this boundary.”

The rocket is flying in a VC4S configuration, that means it has 4, side-mounted Graphite Epoxy Motor (GEM) 63XL stable rocket boosters (SRBs) and a ‘standard’ 51-foot-long (15.5 m), 17.7-foot-diameter (5.4 m) payload fairing.

The SRBs will jettison lower than two minutes after liftoff, which can be adopted by the separation of the Vulcan booster from the Centaur 5 higher stage about 5 minutes into the mission.

In typical style for a mission designated as supporting U.S. nationwide safety pursuits, the precise timing of payload deployment shouldn’t be disclosed.

What’s onboard?

The Vulcan rocket, designated as V-005, has the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) system as its major payload. In an announcement, the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) described it as “a high-performance, dedicated Space Surveillance Network sensor” designed to enhance the U.S. Space Command’s consciousness of actions in geostationary Earth orbit, roughly 22,000 miles (35,000 km) above the Earth.

Neither the Space Force nor ULA would affirm within the week main as much as launch what number of GSSAP satellites have been manifested on the mission. During a prelaunch briefing, Wentz mentioned, “I can’t say that it’s two or one or three or any other number.”

That mentioned, traditionally, these satellites flew in pairs. The first two pairs launched on Delta 4 Medium-plus rockets, first in July 2014, adopted by the following set in August 2016. The third and most up-to-date pair, GSSAP-5 and 6 launched on an Atlas 5 rocket in January 2022.

One of the primary two satellites, GSSAP house automobile 2, was taken out of service and put in a graveyard orbit, in accordance with an announcement from Lt. Col. Greg Fertig, the then deputy program supervisor of the SSC’s GSSAP Program Office, to Space News in August 2023.

Fertig additionally instructed Space News on the time that the Space Force had ordered two extra of those GSSAP satellites to be constructed by Northrop Grumman.

“In addition to the GSSAP payload, USSF-87 will include additional research, development and training systems. Guardians will use these systems to refine tactics, techniques and procedures for precision on-orbit maneuvers,” SSC mentioned in an announcement. “These systems will also enhance and validate resiliency and protection in geosynchronous orbit.”

These further payloads can be mounted to Northrop Grumman’s ESPAStar platform, a maneuverable spacecraft able to housing as much as six hosted payloads and as much as 12 deployable payloads.