LAUNCH TIME | August 4, 2022 - 12:29 → 13:09 |
LAUNCH PROVIDER | United Launch Alliance |
CUSTOMER | United States Space Force |
ROCKET | Atlas V 421 |
LAUNCH SITE | Space Launch Complex 41 - Cape Canaveral, Florida |
PAYLOAD MASS | 4,500 Kg |
DESTINATION | Orbita di Trasferimento Geostazionaria (GTO) |
LANDING SITE | The booster and SRBs will crash into the Atlantic Ocean |
WEATHER | 70% (45th Weather Squadron) |
ULA will launch the SBIRS GEO-6 satellite on an Atlas V rocket in 421 configuration for the United States Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC).
What's on board?
The Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) is a network of satellites positioned in Geostationary and Highly Elliptical orbiyes, which use infrared sensors for missile defense, missile alarm, awareness of the American battle space.
SBIRS GEO-6 is the sixth and final satellite in the program, designed to replace the Defense Support Program, Northrop Grumman's early warning satellite system, which has been in operation since the 1970s. This satellite was manufactured by Lockheed Martin and is the second to be built on the LM 2100 bus platform.
Atlas V 421
The Atlas V is a non-reusable two-stage launch vehicle built and operated by the United Launch Alliance (ULA).
The booster The booster has a diameter of 3.8m and is 32.5m high. Powered by an RD-180 engine (with dual thrust chambers) running on RP-1 (highly purified kerosene) and liquid oxygen, the engine provides 3830kN of thrust. Two solid rocket thrusters (SRBs) generate the additional power required at takeoff, each providing 1600 kN of thrust.
The Centaur Stadium The second Centaur stadium has a diameter of 3m and a length of 12.6m. Centaur is powered by an RL10C-1 engine that produces 22,900 pounds (101.8 kilo-Newton) of thrust and uses liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to operate.
Fairings The satellite is encapsulated in a short 4m diameter payload fairing. Vehicle height with this fairing model is approximately 59.7m.
TIMELINE:
The live broadcast of the launch will begin at 12:09 on August 4th.