United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Critical Space Surveillance Mission for U.S. Space Force

Atlas V launched Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) satellites, GSSAP-5 and GSSAP-6, to a near-geosynchronous orbit

News provided by

United Launch Alliance (ULA)

Jan 21, 2022, 23:29 ET

CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, Fla., Jan. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the USSF-8 mission for the U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command lifted off on Jan. 21 at 2:00 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. To date ULA has launched 148 times with 100 percent mission success.

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., (Jan. 21, 2022) A ULA Atlas V rocket carrying the USSF-8 mission for the U.S. Space Force lifts off from Space Launch Complex-41 at 2:00 p.m. EST on Jan. 21.
Photos by United Launch Alliance — Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., (Jan. 21, 2022) A ULA Atlas V rocket carrying the USSF-8 mission for the U.S. Space Force lifts off from Space Launch Complex-41 at 2:00 p.m. EST on Jan. 21. Photos by United Launch Alliance

"ULA continues to launch national security assets into highly complex orbits. The USSF-8 mission was successfully delivered to near-geosynchronous orbit after a nearly 7-hour mission," said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs. "We want to thank the U.S. Space Force and our mission partners for their teamwork for the successful launch and delivery to orbit."

The mission launched on an Atlas V 511 configuration rocket, that included a 5-meter short payload fairing. The Atlas booster for this mission was powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 engine. Aerojet Rocketdyne provided the RL10C-1 engine for the Centaur upper stage and Northrop Grumman provided the Graphite Epoxy Motor (GEM) 63 solid rocket booster.

This was the 91^st launch of the Atlas V rocket. ULA's next launch is the GOES-T mission for NASA, planned for Mar. 1, 2022, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla.

With more than a century of combined heritage, ULA is the nation's most experienced and reliable launch service provider. ULA has successfully delivered more than 145 missions to orbit that aid meteorologists in tracking severe weather, unlock the mysteries of our solar system, provide critical capabilities for troops in the field, deliver cutting-edge commercial services and enable GPS navigation. For more information on ULA, visit the ULA website at www.ulalaunch.com, or call the ULA Launch Hotline at 1-877-ULA-4321 (852-4321).

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Photos available on the ULA Flickr page.

SOURCE United Launch Alliance (ULA)