pad rat - 4/4/2008 6:11 PMS/C mass = 13,000 lb. It's the most massive A2100 built by LM to date. UFOs massed no more than 3500 lb.
FunFlying - 10/4/2008 1:41 PMWow, $124.1m for a Atlas 551. This sounds like a great price. Based on performance numbers quoted on this site before this results in $3,043/lb to LEO. Or if one could get a 552 for the same price $2,674/lb. Sounds very competitive.
FunFlying - 10/4/2008 7:41 AMWow, $124.1m for a Atlas 551. This sounds like a great price. Based on performance numbers quoted on this site before this results in $3,043/lb to LEO. Or if one could get a 552 for the same price $2,674/lb. Sounds very competitive.
The first Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite, built by Lockheed Martin , was encapsulated into its payload fairing January 29 in preparation for a February 16 liftoff aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
For the record, according to both Jonathan and Gunter's launch statistics, I believe this will the the 200th flight of a Centaur upper stage (excluding mockups).
Vehicle Launch Total(Failures)===================================Atlas Centaur 148(15)Atlas V 28(1)Titan IIIE 7(1)Titan 401A 9(1)Titan 401B 7(1)-----------------------------------Total 199(19)===================================
Off topic, but are any other Atlas 551 missions on the books?
Quote from: kevin-rf on 02/07/2012 01:08 amOff topic, but are any other Atlas 551 missions on the books?Looks like the three MUOS launches are the only three Atlas 551 missions on the books as of now.
It is mildly amusing to note that, although the AV401 is much the most common config, we're in the middle of a rare set of heavyweight or high energy launches: 551-541-551-531. -Alex
From the mission book, which is now available at:http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/docs/missionbooklets/AV/av_muos1_mob.pdfthe attached image shows the ascent ground trace. The yellow X marked "1" is Centaur MECO-1. At that point it has reached its parking orbit. Note the red trace becomes green somewhat before that point. The legend says red is "mandatory" telemetry coverage and green is only "required" telemetry coverage. I translate this to mean the range requires coverage for the red section so they can initiate abort destruct if they deem it necessary. I'm thinking the red-to-green transition is thus the location of the Africa gate, i.e. that's the location of the vehicle when the instantaneous impact point crosses into Africa.Any comments on that analysis?