MUOS No. 5 in the factory before shipment to Cape Canaveral for launch. Credit: Lockheed Martin

[Satnews] From ULA... Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. (March 25, 2016)  The Atlas V carrying the MUOS-5  mission for the US Navy and the US Air Force has been delayed to no earlier than May 12 to further review the data anomaly experienced during the OA-6 mission. The delay will allow additional time to review the data and to confirm readiness for the MUOS-5 mission. The MUOS-5 spacecraft is secure at the payload processing facility. ULA successfully delivered the OA-6 Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) on March 22. 

Mobile User Objective System (MUOS)

Now a critical element of U.S. national security, military satellite communications delivers vital connectivity to armed forces around the globe, making warfighters safer and more effective.

The U.S. Navy’s Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) is a next-generation narrowband tactical satellite communications system designed to significantly improve ground communications for U.S. forces on the move. MUOS will provide military users more communications capability over existing systems, including simultaneous voice, video and data - similar to the capabilities experienced today with smart phones.

MUOS satellites are equipped with a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) payload that provides a 16-fold increase in transmission throughput over the current Ultra High Frequency (UHF) satellite system. Each MUOS satellite also includes a legacy UHF payload that is fully compatible with the current UHF Follow-on system and legacy terminals. This dual-payload design ensures a smooth transition to the cutting-edge WCDMA technology while the UFO system is phased out.