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April 12th, 2018

Thursday UPDATE: ULA Preps for U.S.A.F.'s Launch of Multi-Faceted Mission 


ULA's updates regarding the Saturday, April 14 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida for the Air Force Space Command (AFSPC)-11 mission for the U.S. Air Force is proceeding on schedule.

Thursday's L-2 reveals an 80 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for launch. For those wishing to view the launch, a live feed is offered, staring 20 minutes prior to the launch at 6:53 p.m. EDT. The live feed will conclude approximately 45 minutes after the launch.

Air Force Space Command (AFSPC)-11 is a multi-manifested mission. The forward spacecraft is referred to as CBAS (Continuous Broadcast Augmenting SATCOM) and the aft spacecraft is EAGLE (ESPA Augmented GEO Laboratory Experiment).  The mission is set to lift off on Saturday, April 14 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Today’s L-4 forecast shows an 80 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for launch. 

Launch Forecast Summary:

  • Overall probability of violating weather constraints: 20 percent
  • Primary concerns: Cumulus Clouds
  • Overall probability of violating weather constraints for 24 hour delay: 80 percent
  • Primary concern: Lightning, Cumulus Clouds, Ground Winds 

 

Rocket: Atlas V 551

Mission: AFSPC-11 is led by the Air Force Research Lab with Orbital ATK as prime contractor. EAGLE uses an ESPA Adapter with deployable solar arrays, Moog propulsion module and five slots for Space Test Program-sponsored payloads that will conduct a series of technology demonstrations. Mission Description: Air Force Space Command (AFSPC)-11 is a multi-manifested mission. The forward spacecraft is referred to as CBAS (Continuous Broadcast Augmenting SATCOM) and the aft spacecraft is EAGLE (ESPA Augmented GEO Laboratory Experiment).

AFSPC-11 will mark the 77th launch of the Atlas V rocket since its inaugural launch in 2002 and the eighth in the 551 configuration, which produces more than 2.5 million pounds of thrust off the launch pad.