The first United Launch Alliance mission of the year sent an Atlas V rocket with a payload for the U.S. Space Force into orbit today.
The launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 41 hit its target of 2 p.m. liftoff, marking the 75th flight of an Atlas V from the Space Coast.
“Feels like a good day to go to space,” said ULA president and CEO Tory Bruno on Twitter.
The USSF-8 mission aims to put two space surveillance satellites directly into geosynchronous orbit, the fifth and sixth satellites of the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program for more accurate tracking and identification of man-made orbiting objects. Deployment is slated more than six hours after liftoff.
“Kind of like a neighborhood watch for geo,” Bruno said.
The configuration for the Atlas V dubbed the “Big Slider” is actually one that has never been used by ULA, featuring an extra-large fairing and a single external solid rocket motor.
ULA had five launches in 2021, but only three of those five were from Canaveral, all on Atlas V rockets, while the other two were from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, one on an Atlas V, the other on a Delta IV Heavy.
One notable launch in 2021 that didn’t happen was the retry by Boeing to send its CST-100 Starliner crew capsule on a mission to the International Space Station. That August attempt fell victim to a valve issue on the spacecraft that has pushed that uncrewed flight into this year, potentially in May.
ULA has other missions on tap for 2022 as well, including its hopes to make the first launch of its new rocket, the Vulcan Centaur, but it’s dependent on the delayed new BE-4 engines designed by Blue Origin.
Other ULA launches slated for 2022 include the launch of the GOES-T satellite for NASA and NOAA slated for March 1 and potentially the first crewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner.
The launch marks the 91st flight of an Atlas V and 148th ULA mission overall. It’s the fourth so far from the Space Coast in January with two more on tap.
SpaceX has already made three Falcon 9 launches, two from Kennedy Space Center and one from Canaveral. Another SpaceX launch could happen from Canaveral before the month’s end while new rocket company Astra is poised to make its first attempt from Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 46 as well.
