Saturday, August 26, 2017

The Hindu: Haryana braces for Monday, the day of sentence

If you cannot view this message, please click here
Follow Us
August 27, 2017

Top Story

alt_text

Other States

Haryana braces for Monday, the day of sentence

READ MORE >>

Editor's Pick

International

Business

Sport

alt_text

Group Sites

The Hindu | தி இந்து | Business Line | BL on Campus | Sportstarlive | Frontline
| The Hindu Centre | Images | roofandfloor| Classifieds

Copyright @ 2017, The Hindu


Cold-War Era Derived ICBM Blasts Military ORS-5 Surveillance and Space Junk Tracking Satellite to Orbit

New post on Universe Today

Cold-War Era Derived ICBM Blasts Military ORS-5 Surveillance and Space Junk Tracking Satellite to Orbit

by Ken Kremer

ICBM derived Minotaur IV overnight launch of the ORS-5 space situational awareness and debris tracking satellite for the U.S. Air Force at 2:04 a.m. EDT on August 26, 2017 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, FL — A Cold War-era derived Peacekeeper ICBM missile formerly armed with multiple nuclear warheads and now modified as a payload orbiter successfully launched an urgently needed space situational awareness and space junk tracking satellite to orbit overnight this morning, Aug. 26, for the U.S. military from the Florida Space Coast.

Following a nearly 3 hour delay due to day long dismal weather causing locally heavy rain storms and lighting in central Florida, an Orbital ATK Minotaur IV rocket carrying the ORS-5 tracking satellite for the USAF finally lifted off in the wee hours Saturday morning, Aug. 26 at 2:04 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The five stage solid fueled Minotaur IV roared rapidly off Space Launch Complex 46 (SLC-46) and quickly disappeared into the clouds from the perspective of the nearby media launch viewing site on this inaugural launch of the rocket from the Cape.

The ORS-5 is a single satellite constellation with a primary mission to provide space situational awareness of the geosynchronous orbit belt for Combatant Commanders' urgent needs, according to Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, 45th Space Wing commander and mission Launch Decision Authority at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

The ORS-5 mission, which stands for Operationally Responsive Space-5, marks the first launch of a Minotaur IV rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and the first use of SLC-46 since 1999.
SLC-46 is operated under license by Space Florida.

The ORS-5 satellite built for the USAF Operationally Responsive Space Office will provide the US military with space-based surveillance and tracking of other satellites both friend and foe as well as space debris in geosynchronous orbit, 22,236 miles above the equator.

The Minotaur IV is a five stage rocket is comprised of three stages of a decommissioned Cold War-era Peacekeeper Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) that has been modified to add two additional Orbital ATK Orion 38 solid rocket motors for the upper stages.

Approximately 28 minutes after liftoff at 2:04 a.m. EDT, the Minotaur IV deployed the ORS-5 satellite into its targeted low inclination orbit 372 miles (599 kilometers) above the earth, Orbital ATK confirmed.

"From this orbit, ORS-5 will deliver timely, reliable and accurate space situational awareness information to the United States Strategic Command through the Joint Space Operations Center."

"This was our first Minotaur launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, demonstrating the rocket's capability to launch from all four major U.S. spaceports," said Rich Straka, Vice President and General Manager of Orbital ATK's Launch Vehicles Division.

The ORS-5 satellite will provide the US military with space-based surveillance and tracking of other satellites both friend and foe as well as space debris in geosynchronous orbit, 22,236 miles above the equator.

ICBM derived Minotaur IV overnight launch of the ORS-5 space situational awareness and debris tracking satellite for the U.S. Air Force at 2:04 a.m. EDT on August 26, 2017 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com

Watch for Ken's continuing onsite Minotaur IV ORS-5, TDRS-M, CRS-12, and NASA and space mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news.

Ken Kremer

Comment    See all comments

Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: 

https://www.universetoday.com/136963/cold-war-era-derived-icbm-blasts-military-ors-5-surveillance-space-junk-tracking-satellite-orbit/


The Guardian today - Australia edition

View in browser


the guardian today - Australia edition
Sunday 27 Aug 2017
The Guardian logo
Headlines More »
Asylum seekers to lose $200 a fortnight in benefits, given three weeks to find own accommodation and told to make arrangements to quit the country
Sport More »
Culture More »
Comment is free More »
Life and style More »
Technology More »
Science More »
Environment More »
Video More »
Most viewed in last 24 hours More »
Rolling report: The former boxing world champion and UFC's biggest star meet in Las Vegas for a highly anticipated superfight. Tom Lutz has the latest
The Guardian
Sport Culture Comment is free

Guardian News & Media Limited - a member of Guardian Media Group PLC. Registered Office: Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9GU. Registered in England No. 908396