Cosmic Penguin
Geek Penguin in GTO
9 launches in 360 days! Had I hinted that a US rocket will do that between Dec. 2012 and Dec. 2013 a year ago, most may have assumed that I'm talking about the Falcon 9.
Not!
Instead it's the Atlas V that will complete this feat assuming launching on time late today/early tomorrow - bringing Atlas' launch rate back to the heydays of the 1990s, when it was once the solid no.2 player in the commercial launch market. The launch completing this feat will bring yet another NRO spysat payload into orbit, although with another twist - it will also bring along 12 cubesats from various US institutions into orbit.
The main payload is most probably the 3rd satellite in the newest series of radar spysats of the Future Imagery Architecture (FIA) program, lately revealed to be carrying the codename "TOPAZ". These satellites are found in retrograde circular orbits at 1200 km altitude at an inclination of 123 degrees. The first two satellites of the series identified by observers are USA-215 / NROL-41 launched in September 2010 and USA-234 / NROL-25 launched in April 2012.
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Viewing the Launch Live:
Mission Description:
Launch preparations photos:
Links:
Launch Updates:
Not!
Instead it's the Atlas V that will complete this feat assuming launching on time late today/early tomorrow - bringing Atlas' launch rate back to the heydays of the 1990s, when it was once the solid no.2 player in the commercial launch market. The launch completing this feat will bring yet another NRO spysat payload into orbit, although with another twist - it will also bring along 12 cubesats from various US institutions into orbit.
The main payload is most probably the 3rd satellite in the newest series of radar spysats of the Future Imagery Architecture (FIA) program, lately revealed to be carrying the codename "TOPAZ". These satellites are found in retrograde circular orbits at 1200 km altitude at an inclination of 123 degrees. The first two satellites of the series identified by observers are USA-215 / NROL-41 launched in September 2010 and USA-234 / NROL-25 launched in April 2012.
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Launch date:
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December 5/6, 2013
Launch time:
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07:13 UTC (Dec. 6) / 11:13 p.m. PST (Dec. 5) / 2:13 a.m. EST (Dec. 6)
Launch site:
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SLC-3E, VAFB, California
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[highlight]L[eventtimer]2013-12-06 07:13:00;%c%%ddd%/%hh%:%mm%:%ss%[/eventtimer][/highlight]
Viewing the Launch Live:
Live broadcast will be available at 10:53 p.m. PST / 1:53 a.m. EST / 06:53 UTC on launch day on the ULA Web site.
The broadcast [eventtimer]2013-12-06 06:53?will start in|started;%c% %h% hours, %m%[/eventtimer] minutes[eventtimer]2013-12-06 06:53?.| ago.;%c%[/eventtimer]
The broadcast [eventtimer]2013-12-06 06:53?will start in|started;%c% %h% hours, %m%[/eventtimer] minutes[eventtimer]2013-12-06 06:53?.| ago.;%c%[/eventtimer]
Mission Description:
This launch supports the military's national defense mission. The payload is confidential and is designated as National Reconnaissance Office L-65 (NROL-65), but most likely it's a TOPAZ radar reconnaissance satellite. The flow of official information about this mission will cease at the point of payload fairing separation. No further comment about the status of the mission will be made after this milestone.
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Mission Insignia (clickable)
Launch preparations photos:
- Atlas 5's classified payload attached to launcher (PHOTO GALLERY)
Links:
- United Launch Alliance: NROL-39 page
- NRO press release on the cubesats launch: http://www.nro.gov/news/press/2013/2013-04.pdf
Launch Updates:
- Spaceflight Now's Mission Status Center
- United Launch Alliance Twitter
- ULA launch hotline - dial at: 1-877-852-4321
