United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket Successfully Launches
Mobile User Objective System-2 Mission for U.S. Navy
July 19, 2013
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V
rocket carrying the second Mobile User Objective System (MUOS-2)
satellite for the United States Navy lifted off from Space
Launch Complex-41 here at 9 a.m. EDT
today. This was ULA's 6th launch of an aggressive 12
mission schedule for the year and the 72nd ULA
mission since its formation in 2006.
"United Launch Alliance is honored to
serve with our mission partners in the preparation and launch of
this critical mission for the U.S. Navy and for our U.S. Air
Force customer," said
Jim Sponnick, ULA vice
president, Atlas and Delta Programs. "This joint government and
industry team is keenly focused on mission success and enabling
MUOS-2 to provide vital communications capability to the women
and men protecting our freedom around the world."
The MUOS-2 mission was launched aboard
an Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) 551
configuration vehicle, which includes a 5.4-meter diameter RUAG
Space payload fairing along with five Aerojet Rocketdyne solid
rocket motors attached to the Atlas booster. The Atlas booster
for this mission was powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 engine and
the Centaur upper stage was powered by a single Aerojet
Rocketdyne RL10A engine.
"At nearly 15,000 pounds, MUOS-2 is
the heaviest satellite launched to date by an Atlas launch
vehicle, and today's Atlas vehicle provided 2.5 million pounds
of thrust during the boost phase," said Sponnick.
MUOS is a next-generation narrowband
tactical satellite communications system designed to
significantly improve beyond-line-of-sight communications for
U.S. forces on the move. MUOS will provide military users 10
times more communications capacity over the existing system by
leveraging 3G mobile communications technology, and will provide
simultaneous voice and data capability.
Developed by the United States Air
Force to assure access to space for Department of Defense and
other government payloads, the EELV Program supports the full
range of government mission requirements, while delivering on
schedule and providing significant cost savings over the
heritage launch systems.
ULA's next launch is the Delta IV
WGS-6 mission for the U.S. Air Force scheduled
Aug. 7 from Space Launch
Complex-37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
ULA program management, engineering,
test, and mission support functions are headquartered in
Denver, Colo. Manufacturing, assembly and
integration operations are located at
Decatur, Ala., and
Harlingen, Texas. Launch operations are located at
Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., and
Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
