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The 1. 1.1 billion USSF-12 mission flew into Earth’s geo-synchronous orbit
WASHINGTON – The United States Air Force for the United States Air Force launched the USSF-12 mission on July 1. The rocket took off from the Space Launch Complex-41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 7:15 p.m.
The S 1.1 billion USSF-12 mission carried two satellites into Earth orbit: a wide range of sightings for the United States Air Force (WFOV) missile warning spacecraft, and a finger-shaped payload adapter that the Department of Defense’s spacecraft With six classified small set experiences for the test program. .
It was the Atlas “Rocket” mission. The first phase of the car was powered by an RD-180 engine and Four powerful rock boosters, and the upper stage of the centaur by one Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C-1 engine. To locate the satellite, ULA used a 5.4-meter diameter pyloid firing that was made out of gravity (formerly by RUAG space).
The USSF-12 was originally scheduled to take off in April but Postponed For unknown reasons. An attempt to launch on June 30 was thwarted by this Bad weather conditions.
The WFOV is a medium-sized spacecraft built by Millennium Space Systems with an infrared sensor payload developed by L3Harris Technologies under a 2016 contract from the United States Air Force. The WFOV is a test satellite, meaning that it is not part of an operational missile warning tower, but an experimental one.
At 1,000 kilograms, WFOV is about a quarter of the size Space-based infrared system (SBIRS) spacecraft currently issuing strategic and tactical missile warnings for the Department of Defense. ULA will start SBIRS-6 satellite in late July.
The WFOV satellite, equipped with a star sensor, will be used to test and launch various ways to collect and report missile launch data. The space force said the study would inform the design of the next missile warning satellite. WFOV will be able to continuously monitor one-third of the Earth’s surface.
The ring-shaped smalts carrier pellet, also known as the ESPA ring, was created by Northrop Grumman.
Both satellites are scheduled to reach orbit six hours after takeoff at USSF-12, a tractor that needs to burn a three-centimeter engine. The ULA used an in-flight power system to keep the WFOV satellite battery locked in geo-synchronous orbit during a six-hour flight.
