The satellites, named GSSAP-5 and GSSAP-6, are part of the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP). These are the fifth and sixth satellites of the GSSAP program built by Northrop Grumman. The mission, called USSF-8, was launched into orbit about 22,000 miles above the equator.
USSF-8 marks the launch of the 91st Atlas 5 rocket. ULA said this was the first and only flight of the Atlas 5 in a 511 configuration with one solid rocket booster and a 5 meter diameter fairing. ULA CEO Tory Bruno said this large asymmetrical slider configuration was chosen to provide just the right amount of energy for this particular mission. (Read also; Only 14 meters away, China’s space laboratory was almost hit by debris from a Russian satellite )
Chief of Space Operations General John “Jay” Raymond called the USSF-8 mission a very important mission because the GSSAP satellite is used to monitor objects in the geostationary belt. “This satellite has environmental monitoring capabilities that allow us to better understand what is happening in very critical orbits such as the GEO orbit,” said Raymond.
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The Atlas 5 rocket launch went smoothly, about two minutes after flight, the GEM-63 solid rocket booster was thrown out. The payload fairing separated from the rocket about three and a half minutes after launch. (Read also; This is what the ancient Japanese burial site looks like from a satellite, in the form of a keyhole )
A minute later, the RD-180 engines of the Atlas first stage were turned off, and the Centaur upper stage carrying the USSF-8 payload was separated. The combustion of the first engine of the Centaur upper stage was confirmed 13 minutes after flight.
The first of the three engines burned for more than seven hours of flight to inject the satellite directly into geosynchronous orbit. The release of GSSAP-5 is expected six hours and 35 minutes after launch, followed by the release of GSSAP-6 about 10 minutes later.
(wib)
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