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April 11th, 2016

ULA's Update Regarding Atlas V's Latest Delay


 It will be interesting to learn what the issue was that has caused this three-time delay...  

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. (April 8, 2016) -- The Atlas V MUOS-5 launch is delayed and indefinite on the Eastern Range due to ongoing evaluation of the first stage anomaly experienced during the OA-6 mission.

ULA successfully delivered the OA-6 Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) on March 22. The MUOS-5 spacecraft and launch vehicle are secure at their processing facilities.

Rocket/Payload: An Atlas V 551 will launch the U.S. Navy’s fifth Mobile User Objective System (MUOS-5) satellite, built by Lockheed Martin.

Date/Site/Launch Time: Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Mission Description: The fifth Mobile User Objective System (MUOS-5) satellite is the latest addition to a network of orbiting satellites and relay ground stations that is revolutionizing secure communications for mobile military forces. Users with operational MUOS terminals can seamlessly connect beyond line-of-sight around the world and into the Global Information Grid. MUOS’ new commercial, cellular-based capabilities include simultaneous, crystal-clear voice, video and mission data, over a secure high-speed Internet Protocol-based system.  

Launch Notes: MUOS-5 will mark the ULA’s fourth launch of 2016 and the 63rd Atlas V since the vehicle’s inaugural launch in August 2002. MUOS-5 will be the seventh mission to launch in the 551 configuration; other missions launched in this configuration include four previous MUOS missions as well as the New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Juno mission to Jupiter.