Watch the Launch

Watch the Launch

SBIRS GEO-6

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Overview

Destination: Geostationary Transfer Orbit
Mission: Government/Top Secret

Geostationary Transfer Orbit Space Launch Complex 41 Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA Probability: 80%

Sixth geosynchronous satellite of the Space Based Infrared System program (SBIRS), providing capabilities for early missile warning and missile defense. SBIRS GEO-6 is the second satellite using Lockheed Martin's LM2100 combat bus.

Telemetry

Launch trajectory and telemetry simulations provided by Flight Club - a rocket launch simulator and orbital trajectory visualiser for all things space!

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • Aug. 4, 2022, 2:24 p.m.

Launch success


SwGustav • Aug. 4, 2022, 10:29 a.m.

Liftoff


SwGustav • Aug. 4, 2022, 10:13 a.m.

Coverage is live; updating weather



SwGustav • July 31, 2022, 5:39 p.m.

Weather is 80% go


Atlas V 421

Family:
Configuration: 421

Atlas V is an expendable launch system in the Atlas rocket family. It was formerly operated by Lockheed Martin and is now operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture with Boeing. Each Atlas V rocket uses a Russian-built RD-180 engine burning kerosene and liquid oxygen to power its first stage and an American-built RL10 engine burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to power its Centaur upper stage. The RD-180 engines are provided by RD Amross, while Aerojet Rocketdyne provides both the RL10 engines and the strap-on boosters used in some configurations. The 421 version uses a 4m wide fairing, 2 solid rocket boosters and one engine on the Centaur stage.

See Details
Specifications
  • Max Stage
    2
  • Length
    58.3 m
  • Diameter
    3.8 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    433.0 T
  • Thrust
Family
  • Name
    Atlas V 421
  • Family
  • Variant
    421
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Atlas V 421
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $123000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    14067.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    6890.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

United Launch Alliance

United Launch Alliance

(ULA)

CEO: Mark Peller Founded: 2006 Successes: 175 Failures: 0 Pending: 36

Agency Type:

United Launch Alliance (ULA) is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. ULA was formed in December 2006 by combining the teams at these companies which provide spacecraft launch services to the government of the United States. ULA launches from both coasts of the US. They launch their Atlas V vehicle from LC-41 in Cape Canaveral and LC-3E at Vandeberg. Their Delta IV launches from LC-37 at Cape Canaveral and LC-6 at Vandenberg.

INFO WIKI
Spaceflight Now

Photos: Cape Canaveral’s first launch doubleheader in more than 50 years

The launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Aug. 4 occurred 12 hours and 39 minutes after the liftoff of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket from neighboring launch pads at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the shortest turnaround between…

NASA Spaceflight

ULA’s Atlas V launches final SBIRS GEO missile detection satellite

United Launch Alliance was in action Thursday, using an Atlas V rocket to deploy a missile detection satellite for the US Space Force. Liftoff of the SBIRS GEO 6 mission from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is occurred at the openin…

SpaceNews

ULA launches the last SBIRS U.S. Space Force missile warning satellite

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket carrying a U.S. Space Force missile-warning satellite lifted off Aug. 4 at 6:29 a.m. Eastern from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

Spaceflight Now

Cape Canaveral on the cusp of new records amid blistering launch rate

With two rockets from industry rivals United Launch Alliance and SpaceX ready for liftoff just 12 hours apart Thursday, the Cape Canaveral spaceport is poised to surpass the record for most missions in a year to fly into orbit from its lau…

Spaceflight Now

Final SBIRS missile warning satellite ready for launch

The last in a line of six satellites for the U.S. military’s Space Based Infrared System, or SBIRS, missile warning program is ready for launch Thursday from Cape Canaveral on top of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket.

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Space Launch Complex 41


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