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The United Launch Alliance postponed the launch of an unknown type of spy satellite for the US Department of Defense from Florida on Wednesday due to a problem with the rocket’s power system.
The company had planned to launch the satellite at 5:54 PM EST aboard an Atlas V rocket from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. But doubts about the launch surfaced in the afternoon when the ULA investigated the matter.
“The launch process won’t continue tonight. We will be posing for another attempt in 48 hours, ”the company announced on Twitter Wednesday evening.
The launch was also postponed on Tuesday due to an issue with environmental controls for the satellite, but that issue has been fixed, the ULA reported on Twitter.
The Defense Department’s National Reconnaissance Office says little about any of its satellites, but the mission description states that the NROL 101 satellite must support its “general national security mission to deliver intelligence data to the nation’s top policy makers.” . as the nation’s military and intelligence agencies.
The agency designed and built the satellite and will operate it according to the mission description.
ULA plans to test upgraded solid rocket thrusters for the first time at launch: three GEM 63 engines built by Northrop Grumman. Strap-on boosters will increase overall thrust.
The rocket’s first stage core will provide 860,200 pounds of thrust upon launch. The three side boosters will provide an additional 371,550 pounds, for a total of 1.23 million pounds.
By comparison, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will deliver more than 1.7 million pounds of thrust at launch, according to the company.
The new launchers are part of ULA’s transition from Atlas V to a new rocket and launcher system, Vulcan. The company expects the first Vulcan launch in the first half of 2021.
“The GEM 63s will be used during Atlas V launches to gain flight experience in preparation for using the GEM 63XLs during #VulcanCentaur’s first flight,” ULA announced on Twitter.
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