Author Topic: LIVE: Orbital ATK Minotaur 4 - ORS-5 - August 25 2017, SLC-46  (Read 95322 times)

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Beautiful 2:04am launch of @OrbitalATK's #MinotaurIV rocket carrying #ORS5 for the @usairforce. #OrbitalATK #Minotaur

https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/901332027873660928

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Confirmation of successful #MinotaurIV #ORS5 launch. The spacecraft has now had 2 successful passes, confirming they are separated & stable

https://twitter.com/orbitalatk/status/901348247045906432

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Orbital ATK Successfully Launches Minotaur IV Rocket Carrying ORS-5 Satellite for the US Air Force
Successful Flight Extends Flawless Record of Minotaur Product Line to 26 Missions

Dulles, Virginia 26 August 2017 – Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, announced its Minotaur IV space launch vehicle successfully launched and placed into orbit the U.S. Air Force’s Operationally Responsive Space-5 (ORS-5) spacecraft on August 26, 2017. The Minotaur IV launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 46 (SLC-46), which is operated under license by Space Florida. This mission marks the 26th consecutive successful launch for the company’s Minotaur product line.

The rocket’s first stage ignited at 2:04 a.m. (EDT). Approximately 28 minutes later, the Minotaur IV deployed the ORS-5 satellite into its targeted low inclination orbit 372 miles (599 kilometers) above the earth. 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. “With a perfect track record of 26 successful launches, the Minotaur family has proven to be a valuable and reliable asset for the Department of Defense.”

The Minotaur family of launch vehicles is based on government-furnished Peacekeeper and Minuteman rocket motors that Orbital ATK has upgraded and integrated with modern avionics and other subsystems to produce an affordable launcher based on flight-proven hardware. Minotaur rockets have now launched from ranges in California, Virginia, Alaska and Florida. The vehicles are procured under the OSP-3 contract administered by Kirtland Air Force Base.

“Orbital ATK has launched nearly 100 space launch and strategic rockets for the U.S. Air Force,” said Scott Lehr, President of Orbital ATK’s Flight Systems Group. “We’re proud to be a partner they can count on.”

The ORS-5 launch was the sixth Minotaur IV flight. The Minotaur IV is capable of launching payloads up to 4,000 lbs. (or 1,800 kg.) to low-Earth orbit. This mission’s Minotaur IV configuration included three decommissioned Peacekeeper stages, an Orion 38 solid-fuel upper stage and an additional Orion 38 insertion stage for the payload. The Minotaur rockets are manufactured at Orbital ATK’s facilities in Chandler, Arizona; Vandenberg, California; and Clearfield and Magna, Utah.

The ORS-5 team is led by the Space and Missile Systems Center’s Operationally Responsive Space Office, located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Massachusetts, is the ORS-5 prime contractor. The 50th Space Wing at Schriever AFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado, operates the ORS-5 system.

The Air Force Space Command's Space and Missile Systems Center, located at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the Air Force's center of acquisition excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems such as ORS-5. Its portfolio includes the Global Positioning System, military satellite communications, defense meteorological satellites, space launch and range systems, satellite control networks, space based infrared systems and space situational awareness capabilities.

https://twitter.com/orbitalatk/status/901348076924936192

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Concongratulations to all involved !

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Minotaur 4 ORS-5 Launch Over the Ocean From Cape Canaveral

Cocoa Beach 365
Published on Aug 25, 2017


The first Minotaur 4 rocket to launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station blasts off carrying the ORS-5 satellite.  The Minotaur is derived from old surplus LGM-118 Peacekeeper ICBMs.

Filmed in 4k UHD, so please make sure you are watching in the highest resolution you can.




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Minotaur IV launches ORS-5 Satellite

SciNews
Published on Aug 25, 2017


An Orbital ATK Minotaur IV expendable launch system launched the ORS-5 satellite from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on 26 August 2017, 06:04 UTC (02:04 EDT). The Operationally Responsive Space-5 (ORS-5) spacecraft will monitor satellites and space debris. The Minotaur IV is capable of launching payloads up to 1800 kg. to low-Earth orbit.
Credit: Orbital ATK/Ben Cooper





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Here is a link for a complete replay of ORS-5 launch, provided by Florida Today Livestream using an Orbital video Feed.  (Orbital has not provided its own higher quality video replay, if one is provided I'll update this post)...

https://livestream.com/accounts/20522137/events/7675452/videos/161861061
« Last Edit: 08/26/2017 09:16 am by catdlr »
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Congrats to Orbital ATK and the Operationally Responsive Space Office on keeping the Minotaur rocket launches at a 100% success rate!

I was going to watch this one from an observation deck at Embry-Riddle University if ORS-5 made the opening of the window, but since it did not, I had to go to bed early.
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Offline yokem55

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I caught the beginning of the launch just before going to bed, and wow that Minotaur sure took off like greased lightning​. I suppose that's from it's icbm roots, but yikes!

Offline Lar

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Congrats to OrbitalATK and all concerned. Good to see another missile repurposed. Swords into plowshares and all that.  (except not really, this is still a defense payload, but you get the idea)

Thanks for the great coverage, NSFers!
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On Space-Track: No unclassified TLEs, but catalog entries for ORS-5 SENSORSAT, OBJECT B C D, and MINOTAUR R/B.
Expecting two R/B (stage 4 and stage 5) so not sure what's up with that.
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Offline Targeteer

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On Space-Track: No unclassified TLEs, but catalog entries for ORS-5 SENSORSAT, OBJECT B C D, and MINOTAUR R/B.
Expecting two R/B (stage 4 and stage 5) so not sure what's up with that.

42921   ORS 5      SENSORSAT   2017-050A      
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Offline Rocket Science

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Congrats to all the teams, well done! Thank you for the great coverage NSF that allowed me to catch up on another successful flight from Orbital/ATK. :)
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
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Offline Star One

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Congratulations to all concerned. Especially worth seeing for its sprightly launch off the pad.

Offline Star One

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LIVE: Orbital ATK Minotaur 4 - ORS-5 - August 25 2017, SLC-46
« Reply #356 on: 08/26/2017 07:54 pm »
Congratulations to all concerned. Especially worth seeing for its sprightly launch off the pad.
Yep.  An 87 tonne rocket lifting off on 209 tonnes of sea level thrust from its SR-118 first stage motor.  T/W = 2.4, about two times larger than for Falcon 9, Atlas 5, and the like.

 - Ed Kyle

If it was an ICBM would it launch even quicker than this, I know some Russian ICBMs used systems to push them out of their silos before they ignited their motors.
« Last Edit: 08/26/2017 07:55 pm by Star One »

Offline russianhalo117

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Congratulations to all concerned. Especially worth seeing for its sprightly launch off the pad.
Yep.  An 87 tonne rocket lifting off on 209 tonnes of sea level thrust from its SR-118 first stage motor.  T/W = 2.4, about two times larger than for Falcon 9, Atlas 5, and the like.

 - Ed Kyle

If it was an ICBM would it launch even quicker than this, I know some Russian ICBMs used systems to push them out of their silos before they ignited their motors.
The GFE motors is from LGM-118A Peacekeeper ICBM Which was USAF's only cold start canister launched ICBM. LGM-118A used Cold start from only Minuteman Silos and mobile launchers. Because the missile never reached Full Operational Capability a Hot Start version was never employed beyond a few development tests. Because of this Cold Start capability Minotaur versions with its launch canister installed could also be launched from silos across the US like Dnepr does in the  Former Soviet Republics as well as continue to launch in Hot Start mode like other Russian Conversional launchers.
« Last Edit: 08/26/2017 08:48 pm by russianhalo117 »

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Geo Surveillance - Air Force 08-26-2017


USLaunchReport
Published on Aug 26, 2017


Air Force Space Command launched an all Air Force mission satellite with a telescope that checks our geostationary satellites from space. An incredibly fast moving solid fuel five stage rocket repurposed ICBM.





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Ben Cooper has posted a couple of shots on twitter:

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This morning's first ever Minotaur from Cape Canaveral lights up the Florida coastline! (Orbital ATK).
https://twitter.com/launchphoto/status/901363076716310528

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Fire and fury: Moment of ignition for a Minotaur IV rocket, first from Cape, at 2:04am EDT this morning (Orbital ATK).
https://twitter.com/launchphoto/status/901600226561200128

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