Nichols Martin
United Launch Alliance sent to space two U.S. Space Force situational awareness satellites using its Atlas V rocket on Friday.
The USSF-8 mission lifted GSSAP-5 and GSSAP-6 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to a near-geosynchronous orbit under the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program, ULA said the same day as the launch.
The two GSSAP satellites are designed to support orbital safety and help USSF prevent satellite collisions.
Northrop Grumman‘s Graphite Epoxy Motor and the RD AMROSS RD-180 engine propelled the Atlas V 511 configuration rocket, whose Centaur upper stage was powered by Aerojet Rocketdyne‘s RL10C-1 engine.
“The USSF-8 mission was successfully delivered to near-geosynchronous orbit after a nearly 7-hour mission,” said Gary Wentz, ULA’s vice president OF government and commercial programs.
The rocket used a 5-meter-short payload fairing for the flight, which marks Atlas V’s 91st launch. ULA will perform its next launch on March 1 for NASA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites or GOES-T mission.
