Watch the Atlas V missile launch a new American spy satellite tonight!
CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – The United Launch Alliance (ULA) is set to send a The Atlas V missile In space Wednesday evening (November 4), after a 24-hour delay to switch devices, you can watch the event live.
The two-stage missile will launch from the 41st Space Launch Complex here at Cape Canaveral Air Station In Florida, she carries a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, which manages the US government’s fleet of spy satellites.
you may Watch the launch live here And on the SPACE.com homepage, courtesy of ULA, it starts about 15 minutes before take off. You will also be able to Watch the launch live from ULA.
Liftoff is set just after sunset, at 5:54 PM EST (2254 GMT). If weather and clouds cooperate, launch can appear on a dazzling screen because twilight is the magic hour of rocket launch; At dawn and dusk, the sun is positioned in such a way that it can illuminate the rocket column and make it look like a giant jellyfish in the sky. These launches are often confused for UFOs because of the Strange zig-zag clouds Produced. (Spoiler alert: It’s definitely not aliens.)
Related: What is this in heaven? SpaceX rocket, but it definitely doesn’t look like it
Meteorologists in their 45th Weather Squadron Predicted 70% chance of favorable launch conditions Wednesday night. The main concern is the ground winds, which are expected to come from the northeast at 15 to 20 knots (17 to 23 mph or 28 to 37 km per hour), with gusts of up to 26 knots (30 mph or 48 km) Per hour). in a Official report Released Tuesday evening (Nov.3), meteorologists said they are expecting clear skies and breezy winds. It is not clear when the backup date will be if the missile cannot take off on Wednesday evening SpaceX is set to launch an updated GPS satellite Thursday evening.
The assigned NROL-101 mission is the fifth by ULA so far this year. The National Reconnaissance Office He was stingy with details about the payload, which is typical for these types of tasks, but he emphasized that the payload was designed and built by the NRO.
“NROL-101 supports the NRO’s overall national security mission to provide intelligence data to top US policymakers, the intelligence community and the Department of Defense,” NRO wrote in a press file To the task.
Meteorologists in their 45th Weather Squadron Predicted 70% chance of favorable launch conditions Wednesday night. The main concern is the ground winds, which are expected to come from the northeast at 15 to 20 knots (17 to 23 mph or 28 to 37 km per hour), with gusts of up to 26 knots (30 mph or 48 km) Per hour). in a Official report Released Tuesday evening (Nov.3), meteorologists said they are expecting clear skies and breezy winds. It is not clear when the backup date will be if the missile cannot take off on Wednesday evening SpaceX is set to launch an updated GPS satellite Thursday evening.
The assigned NROL-101 mission is the fifth by ULA so far this year. The National Reconnaissance Office He was stingy with details about the payload, which is typical for these types of tasks, but he emphasized that the payload was designed and built by the NRO.
“NROL-101 supports the NRO’s overall national security mission to provide intelligence data to top US policymakers, the intelligence community and the Department of Defense,” NRO wrote in a press file To the task.
The flight will be the 29th mission for NRO and the 17th of that mission that launched on Atlas V. Over the weekend, ULA officials conducted a launch readiness review while giving the green light to launch. Early on Monday morning (2 November), the missile took off from its hangar and reached the launch pad of the SLC-41, located a third of a mile (half a kilometer) away.
Shortly after the missile arrived, the crew noticed a problem with the vehicle’s environmental control system. The high winds may have damaged the line that feeds the missile payload with air-conditioning, according to ULA officials. This issue required a repair that could not be performed on the board, so the crew returned the car to its integration facility for repairs.
The work was completed late Tuesday night (3 November), with ULA President and CEO, Tory Bruno, tweets That the problematic duct has been replaced with a booster. The missile was then returned to the platform to begin preparations for launch.
After embarking on its 1,800 feet (550 meters) flight, the missile was put into operation and began a series of pre-exits that would load fuel, a task that would begin two hours before take-off and would eventually begin, if everything continued as planned.
The mission will be the 86th Atlas V flight since 2002 and the fifth flight this year. It will also be the launch of the ULA 30th to carry the NRO payload. The agency, which manages the US government’s spy satellite fleet, uses these eyes in the sky to provide optical and radar images, intercept communications from adversaries, and also to send secure communications to intelligence agencies.
“ULA is proud to play a pivotal role in supporting our mission partners and national security by keeping our country safe, one at a time,” said Gary Wentz, ULA Vice President of Government and Business Programs, in an email statement to the company.
Related: The Pentagon chooses SpaceX, ULA to launch national security missions
The 206-foot (63 meters) Fifth Atlas is fueled by a mixture of liquid oxygen and RP-1, a refined form of kerosene used in spaceflight, and liquid hydrogen in its upper stage. The vehicle will fly in configuration “531”, with three solid rocket engines, and a payload diameter of 17.7 feet (5.4 m).
Today’s flight will be the fourth time a 531 configuration Atlas V has flown, and the first mission to use newly developed solid rocket engines. GEM 63 belt boosters are manufactured by Northrop Grumman and built to replace previous models built by Aerojet Rocketdyne. Each of the 66-foot (20 m) rocket engines has an additional 373,800 pounds of thrust. According to ULA, the GEM 63 is easier to handle and cost less than its predecessors.
ULA plans to use a better version, called the GEM 63XL, on its next-generation missile, the Vulcan Centaur, Which is currently under construction. By testing a smaller version on the Atlas V, the missile manufacturer plans to thoroughly test GEM capabilities before attaching one to the Vulcan.
The NRO hasn’t revealed many details about this launch or its payload. However, warning notices are issued to pilots, occupants of boats and a Task file animation It indicates that the missile is flying a northeast trajectory that will eventually put it into a very tilted orbit with regular views of the Northern Hemisphere.
Today’s launch may be the first of a dual head, as SpaceX prepares to launch its own government payload, an upgraded Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite for the US Space Force. The launch, originally scheduled for October 2, was canceled at the last second when engineers noticed a problem with the engine.
The team determined the cause of the malfunction and replaced two engines on the missile. If all goes as planned, this launch will take off from an adjacent launch pad at Space Launch Complex 40 Thursday evening (November 5). Liftoff is set at 6:24 PM EST (2324 GMT), and the launch will be broadcast on Space.com.
Follow Amy Thompson on Twitter @ astrogingersnap. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook.
Rachel Montgomery is a contributor at Prudent Press Agency, covering a wide range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, accurate, and reader-focused reporting that helps audiences stay informed about current events and important developments. Her work emphasizes useful information, balanced coverage, and stories that matter to everyday readers, making complex topics accessible and relevant.
