This is some cool news…
From the Washington Free Beacon:
First Space Force Mission Is A Go
‘We’re launching a giant spacecraft into space’Space Force’s first official mission is a go, with personnel set to launch a military communications satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral Thursday afternoon.
“We’re launching a giant spacecraft into space,” United Launch Alliance (ULA) president and CEO Tory Bruno told the Washington Free Beacon.
And giant it is. ULA will send an Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite into orbit for Space Force on its Atlas V 551 rocket, the most powerful in its arsenal. The rocket, which Bruno called “the Bruiser,” weighs 1.2 million pounds pre-launch. The satellite itself weighs 14,500 pounds when fully fueled and strapped to the rocket, or about 2.5 Ford Expeditions. The launch will create 2.25 million pounds of thrust.
The mission is about much more than brute force—it will establish infrastructure that will strengthen America’s military presence on earth. The satellite will become the sixth of its kind in orbit for the United States, creating a constellation that gives America complete global communications coverage.
[…]
Thursday’s launch is expected to go forward despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Military personnel have canceled in-person launch viewing and cut nonessential services. The two-hour launch window begins at 2:57 p.m. ET at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and can be viewed online.
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Just finished watching the launch after it was delayed due to a malfunction. It was fixed and the launch was successful. The satellite is now in the process of moving into its designated orbit.
A technological achievement truly fascinating to watch.
Yesterday was Jim Lovell’s 92nd birthday
We should all get more familiar with the work of Wolfgang Smith. It’s pretty devastating to the Principle of Relativity….
I want my own X37A…just saying.
…rockets to the moon, kids grow’n up too soon…a Ball of Confusion.
Bravo for the Space Force. Am I the only one who cracks a slight smile at the Star Fleet ‘delta’ that has shown itself prominently in the Space Force patch?
“Ex Astris, Scientia”!
It’s the Air Force’s delta (from the 1950’s). Starfleet just borrowed it. (And that was part of the joke when the Air Force appeared in that one time-travel episode, in original Trek.)
robtbrown: Jim Lovell’s “Lost Moon” is a great read.
Congratulations to Space Force.
JustaSinner: That would be spiffy.
acardnal: You might be interested in sites that track various satellites, the Space Station, Hubble and space junk re-entry such as:
http://www.satview.org/
A QSL card from the ISS would be spiffy.