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A state-of-the-art US military communications satellite flew into space at midnight on Wednesday (October 17th), lighting the skies over Florida as it went into orbit.
An Atlas V rocket from the United Launch Alliance (ULA) launched the satellite, known as Advanced Extremely High Frequency 4 (AEHF-4), at 12:15 pm EDT (4:15 GMT) from a post located at Cape Canaveral Air Base. AEHF-4 is an advanced wheelbarrow and nuclear-resistant satellite designed to "provide viable, comprehensive, secure, protected and interference-resistant communications to high-priority military forces," according to a military mission description. American air.
After a smooth take-off, the Atlas V carrying AEHF-4 dropped five attached boosters and placed the satellite in an initial orbit with its Centaur upper stage. If all goes well, the Centaur will deploy AEHF-4 on its last geostationary orbit about 35,000 km above the Earth about 3.5 hours after take-off. [The Most Dangerous Space Weapons Ever]
A United Alliance Alliance's Atlas V rocket launches the AEF-4 satellite for the US Air Force from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida in the early hours of October 17, 2018. Credit: ULA
"The mission of the AEHF is to provide secure and secure means of communication for high priority assets of the army on the ground, at sea and in the air," said Major Matthew Getts of Space and Missile Center of the Air Force in Los Angeles. Launch of AEHF-4. "It also allows the US President and combatant commanders to control their tactical and strategic forces at all levels of war and at all stages of the conflict."
Built by Lockheed Martin, AEHF-4 is a $ 1.8 billion telecommunications satellite designed to replace the aging constellation Milstar, the US military. As its name indicates, AEHF-4 is the fourth satellite in the series. It will have six satellites in total once completed. The first AEHF satellite launched in 2010.
"The AEHF-4 we just launched will complete the fully operational AEHF constellation," said Getts. The launch of AEHF-5 is currently scheduled for July 2019, he added.
The High Frequency Advanced Communications Satellite 4 for the US Armed Forces is the fourth in a six-satellite constellation.
Credit: Lockheed Martin
The US Department of Defense has several partners in the AEHF program. They include the military forces of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada. US officials are also negotiating with the Australian Defense Department for a potential partnership, added Getts.
The launch of AEH-4 today marked the 131st launch of ULA and its 50th launch for the Air Force. ULA's next mission will be the launch of the NROL-71 rated spy satellite for the US National Reconnaissance Office.
This mission will depart from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California later this year, ULA officials said.
Email Tariq Malik at [email protected] or follow him. @tariqjmalik. follow us @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Original article on Space.com.
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