NROL-41 (Atlas 5 launched on Sept. 20, 2010)

[Zipi]

Launch window: 03:29 GMT on 21st (11:29 pm EDT on 20th)
Launch site: SLC-3E, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 (AV-025) rocket will launch a classified spacecraft payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The rocket will fly in the 501 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, no solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage.

Atlas 501 Launch Vehicle

Atlas 5 Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_V
ULA's Atlas V Page: http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Pro ... lasV.shtml
ULA's Atlas V Product Card: http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/docs/prod ... t_card.pdf
ULA's Atlas V User Guide: http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/docs/prod ... de2010.pdf
Astronautix Atlas V Page: http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/atlasv.htm
Atlas V at Günter's Space Pages: http://space.skyrocket.de/index_frame.h ... -5-501.htm
Spaceflight Now's Atlas V Article: http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av005/0 ... ocket.html

Atlas 5 First Stage:

One Atlas 5 common core booster (CBC) having one RD-180 engine burning RP-1/LOX.

RD-180 Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RD-180
NPO Energomars RD-180 Page: http://www.npoenergomash.ru/eng/engines/rd180/
Purdue University RD-180 Page: https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Rese ... ids/rd180/

Atlas 5 Boosters:

Atlas 501 configuration has not booster rockets.

Atlas 5 Second Stage:

Single engine (RL-10A) Centaur rocket stage burning LH[sub]2[/sub]/LOX.

Centaur Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centaur_(rocket_stage)
NASA's Centaur History Page: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about ... ntaur.html
P&W Rocketdyne RL-10 Page: http://www.pw.utc.com/Products/Pratt+%2 ... tdyne/RL10
RL-10 Fact Sheet: http://www.pw.utc.com/StaticFiles/Pratt ... r_RL10.pdf
NASA's RL-10 History Page: http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4404/ch10-7.htm
Historic photo from NASA's gallery: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegal ... _1685.html

Vandenberg Air Force Base

Vandenberg AFB Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandenberg_Air_Force_Base
SLC-3 Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandenberg ... _Complex_3
Astronautix SLC-3E Page: http://www.astronautix.com/sites/vanslc3e.htm
Vandenberg AFB Official SLC-3 Photos: http://www.vandenberg.af.mil/photos/med ... 5&btnG.y=3
Vandenberg AFB Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.72972 ... 120.576944
SLC-3 Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.64298 ... 120.588512

 

[crazyeddie]

ATLAS V launch scheduled for Sept. 20th

From Vandenburg AFB here in California, at 8:29 pm Pacific Coast Time, which means it should be highly visible in the evening twilight:



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 17, 2010
Release No. 05-0910

ATLAS V LAUNCH SCHEDULED

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Team Vandenberg is scheduled to launch
an Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-3 Sept. 20 at 8:29 p.m.

This launch marks the 604th overall Atlas mission in U.S. history.

The launch is a team effort between the 4th Space Launch Squadron and the
United Launch Alliance.

"I'm incredibly proud of all the hard work of the men and women of the 4th
Space Launch Squadron team in preparing for this Atlas V mission," said Lt.
Col. Brady Hauboldt, 4th Space Launch Squadron commander. "We've worked
side-by-side with United Launch Alliance and the entire 30th Space Wing to
pull this campaign together over the last few months and we are now 'GO' for
launch. We're all excited to have the opportunity to launch our newest
Atlas V and demonstrate Team Vandenberg's continued contributions to space
power."

The rocket will carry a national security payload for the National
Reconnaissance Office.

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: ATLAS V launch scheduled for Sept. 20th

Here's a thread with announcement, rocket info and so on, as usual :

Sept. 20 Atlas 5 - NROL-41

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: Sept. 20 Atlas 5 - NROL-41

www.vandenberg.af.mil : ATLAS V LAUNCH SCHEDULED

Posted 9/17/2010 Updated 9/17/2010

Release Number: 040910

9/17/2010 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Team Vandenberg is scheduled to launch an Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-3 Sept. 20 at 8:29 p.m.

Not exactly related to this launch, but just in case :

http://www.federalspace.ru : Russia Supplies U.S. with Four Space Rocket Engines

:: 17.09.2010

Russia delivered four heavy rocket booster engines to the U.S. Wednesday, Interfax news agency reported.
The engines RD-180 made in Khimki Energomash plant near Moscow, were shipped by the world largest cargo plane Ruslan.

Energomash officials state this shipment includes the 50th- jubilee- RD engine for the US party.
RD-180 weighted over 5.5 tons. These engines have been used for 28 American Atlas space rockets produced by the Lockheed Martin since 1950s.
The next launch of the Atlas has been planned on Sept. 20.

Credit: Xinhua

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: ATLAS V launch scheduled for Sept. 20th

Here's a thread with announcement, rocket info and so on, as usual :

Sept. 20 Atlas 5 - NROL-41

Merged

 

[Zipi]

Re: Sept. 20 Atlas 5 - NROL-41

Launch time updated:

Launch window: 03:29 GMT on 21st (11:29 pm EDT on 20th)

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: Sept. 20 Atlas 5 - NROL-41

http://www.spaceflightnow.com : Vandenberg team guides nation's critical launches

BY JUSTIN RAY

Posted: September 19, 2010

Whether it's launching a national security payload with an Atlas 5 rocket Monday night or rehearsing for the West Coast debut of the mighty Delta 4-Heavy, these are active times for Vandenberg Air Force Base's 4th Space Launch Squadron.

"We perform better and are happiest when we are busy," Lt. Col. Brady Hauboldt, the squadron commander, said in an interview Friday.

...

Lt. Col. Brady Hauboldt. Credit: Air Force

...

The squadron's mission is overseeing the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles flown from Vandenberg carrying satellites into highly-inclined and polar orbits. Situated 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles, the base is the primary U.S. site to launch spacecraft into such advantageous vantage points.

...

Vandenberg's first Atlas 5 launched in 2008. Credit: Gene Blevins/LA Daily News
SEE FULL IMAGE GALLERY

...

"As our third Atlas 5 mission, this launch represents a turning point in Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle operations here at Vandenberg," said Hauboldt.

"Previous missions, including last year's launch of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program spacecraft, have averaged more than 500 days of launch base processing. This launch campaign has included 337 procedures and countless inspections, completed in just over 120 days; proving the 30th Space Wing's responsiveness to integrate, process and test the Atlas 5 at a far higher rate."

...

Meanwhile, the Delta 4-Heavy rocket at Space Launch Complex 6 is undergoing an extensive series of demonstrations to iron out the bugs before the mammoth booster makes its inaugural West Coast blastoff in January with a spy satellite that the intelligence community is really counting on.

The Delta 4-Heavy rocket is pictured here during a news media tour earlier this year. Credit: Justin Ray/Spaceflight Now
SEE FULL IMAGE GALLERY

...

Hoping all their efforts for the Atlas 5's NROL-41 mission are rewarded with a flawless launch Monday night, the squadron members know they won't have much time to celebrate. Focus quickly turns to finish the final months of work on the Heavy and welcoming the next Atlas 5 when it is delivered to Vandenberg in the next 60 days.

...

 

[bdewoody]

Re: Sept. 20 Atlas 5 - NROL-41

Was excited til I noticed the launch site. Sure can't go outside and watch this one.

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: Sept. 20 Atlas 5 - NROL-41

Was excited til I noticed the launch site. Sure can't go outside and watch this one.

That would probably depend on how close you would want to get. They are not very happy about trespassing though, but if you don't intend to protest, it might be worth to check locally. I saw at least a couple of pretty neat amateur videos, or in other words, i'would go, after a bit of check, of course.

 

[Zipi]

Re: Sept. 20 Atlas 5 - NROL-41

Spaceflight Now's Mission Status Center: http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av025/status.html
Spaceflight Now's Rocket Assembly Pictures: http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av025/preflight/

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: Sept. 20 Atlas 5 - NROL-41

www.spaceflightnow.com : Mission Status Center

By Justin Ray

..

2035 GMT (4:35 p.m. EDT; 1:35 p.m. local)
The formal countdown sequence is underway and the Atlas-Centaur rocket has been powered for tonight's launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The launch team is running through routine testing and preps, as well as configuring pad systems as the clocks tick toward the 8:29 p.m. local time liftoff.

...

1940 GMT (3:40 p.m. EDT; 12:40 p.m. local)
In their latest forecast, meteorologists are predicting a 60 percent chance of favorable conditions for tonight's launch of the Atlas 5 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

Those odds have decreased slightly because of strong winds expected at the launch base behind the passage of a cold front.

The launch time outlook includes scattered-to-broken low clouds and a few high clouds, no widespread fog and 7 miles of visibility, sustained northwesterly winds between 22 and 28 knots and a temperature around 53 degrees F.

 

[Zipi]

Unofficial launch video: (captured from live stream)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUbnC53TyxI[/youtube]

Some private person has also filmed the launch:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fojyrDwNys[/youtube]

 

[EarthlingX]

http://twitter.com/ulalaunch

An Atlas V rocket carrying a payload for the NRO successfully lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 9:03 p.m. PDT today.

Photo by spaceflight.com :

One more non-official video :

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tINIHHNL5Ss[/youtube]

 

[EarthlingX]

SDC : Parked Car Causes Stir During U.S. Spy Satellite Launch

By Tariq Malik
SPACE.com Managing Editor
posted: 21 September 2010
01:34 am ET



A new spy satellite launched into space late Monday on the latest classified mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, but not before a private car caused delays because it was parked in the wrong spot.

The classified satellite NROL-41 blasted off at 9:03:30 PDT (0403:30 GMT) from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. An unmanned Atlas 5 rocket managed by the United Launch Alliance carried the satellite into space. [NROL-41 satellite launch photo.]

The satellite's launch was delayed about a half hour due to the pesky car, which was parked at Vandenberg's Space Launch Complex 8 – an area that was supposed to be clear of vehicles. The NROL-41 satellite soared spaceward from the nearby Space Launch Complex 3E.

Flight controllers wanted to be sure it wasn't a range safety concern, launch officials said. They later decided it was no concern for the launch.

...

 

[EarthlingX]

SDC : Stunning Night Lights: Photos of New Spy Satellite's Launch

By Tariq Malik
SPACE.com Managing Editor
posted: 21 September 2010
11:32 am ET

When a huge Atlas 5 rocket blasts off at night, photographers pay attention. And last night's rocket launch was no exception.

This stunning photo was taken by photographer Pat Corkery for United Launch Alliance, the joint Boeing-Lockheed Martin venture that provided the Atlas 5 rocket for last night's launch. Here, the 193-foot (59-meter) rocket is shown just after engine ignition.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Andrew Lee snapped the long-exposure view of the liftoff.

Official report :
www.vandenberg.af.mil : TEAM VANDENBERG LAUNCHES ATLAS V

Posted 9/20/2010 Updated 9/21/2010

Release Number: 060910

9/20/2010 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Team Vandenberg launched an Atlas V rocket at 9:03 p.m. today from Space Launch Complex-3 here.

The launch, the second of three the base has scheduled for September, was the result of a team effort between the 30th Space Wing, the United Launch Alliance and the National Reconnaissance Office.

"This Atlas launch is the culmination of a tremendous amount of hard work on the part of all the men and women of the 30th Space Wing and our mission partners," said Col. Richard Boltz, 30th Space Wing commander. "We're all extremely proud of everyone's efforts."

This evening's launch marked the 604th overall Atlas mission in U.S. history. The rocket carried a national security payload for the NRO.

Team Vandenberg's next launch, a Minotaur IV carrying the first Space Based Space Surveillance satellite, is scheduled for Sept. 25 from Space Launch Complex-8 here.

 

[crazyeddie]

Damn, the whole coast was foggy last night. That would have been quite a spectacle had the weather cooperated!

 

[EarthlingX]

Damn, the whole coast was foggy last night. That would have been quite a spectacle had the weather cooperated!

It was a spy satellite, what do you expect

I feel you though