ULA Atlas V 551 - AEHF-6 - March 26, 2020, 20:18 UTC

[vapour_nudge]

Can someone, perhaps from ULA, confirm if this mission will also be flown on an Atlas V 551 as opposed to a 541 or 531?

[Newton_V]

Can someone, perhaps from ULA, confirm if this mission will also be flown on an Atlas V 551 as opposed to a 541 or 531?

Yes, a 551.
They were all originally planned to be on the 531 configuration.  Late last year, -4 was changed from the 531 to the 551.  I think earlier in 2017, -5 and -6 were already baselined as 551's, as integration for those missions really hadn't begun yet. (maybe some LEI was done, not sure how much)

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post re: AEHF-6 launch year:

https://www.schriever.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1669053/aehf-4-launch-provides-critical-support-to-users/

AEHF-4 launch provides critical support to users

By Staff Sgt. Matthew Coleman-Foster, 50th Space Wing Public Affairs / Published October 23, 2018

SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --

<snip>
AEHF-5 is projected to launch in the summer of 2019 and AEHF-6 in 2020.

[zubenelgenubi]

Clarification of launch month from the August 12 update of SFN Launch Schedule:
March 2020

[zubenelgenubi]

Where is the Atlas V and Centaur for the AEHF-6 launch?  The LVs for Solar Orbiter and OTV-6 have already been delivered.  Their launches bracket that of AEHF-6 in our most recent launch schedule.

OTV-6

Booster and upper stage have arrived at the Cape aboard the renamed R/S RocketShip (former Delta Mariner)

www.ulalaunch.com/explore/blog-detail/blog/2019/10/07/rocketship-makes-first-delivery-after-renaming

The stages were offloaded Oct. 7 and taken to the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center to await further processing for their mission.

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Centaur upper stage is offloaded from the RocketShip transport vessel at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Nov. 21, 2019 to undergo preparations to launch Solar Orbiter on its journey to study the Sun for the European Space Agency and NASA in 2020.

Photo credit: United Launch Alliance

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post:

http://www.launchphotography.com/Delta_4_Atlas_5_Falcon_9_Launch_Viewing.html

ATLAS 5

<snip> Then, an Atlas 5 with the maximum five SRBs will launch AEHF-6 for the US Air Force on mid-March TBD.
<snip>

[gongora]

https://twitter.com/AF_SMC/status/1216031094643970049

AEHF-6, the anchor culminating the constellation, is ready for transport

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/af_smc/status/1216144923373731840

Thanks to the C-5 crew from 60th AMW at Travis AFB, AEHF-6 has safely arrived.

Launch on track:

https://twitter.com/af_smc/status/1216144549451575297

AEHF-6 is scheduled to launch in March 2020 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida aboard an ULA Atlas V.

Edit to add:

https://twitter.com/af_smc/status/1216139850690244610

Thanks to the C-5 crew from 60th AMW at Travis AFB, AEHF-6 has safely arrived

https://twitter.com/af_smc/status/1216134543620616201

The delivery of AEHF-6 sets the stage for launch.  It will undergo final checkout at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facility.

[Targeteer]

Presumbably that is one of the two C-5(M)C's modified to carry out-sized satellite cargos?

[russianhalo117]

Presumbably that is one of the two C-5(M)C's modified to carry out-sized satellite cargos?

C-5M 70030 is not an C-5M-SCM.
5C-SCM serial 68-0213 = 5M-SCM 80213
5C-SCM serial 68-0216 = 5M-SCM 80216

[zubenelgenubi]

Which airfield was this delivered to? SLF at KSC?  Skid Strip at CCAFS?

[LandingZone-1]

Which airfield was this delivered to? SLF at KSC?  Skid Strip at CCAFS?

SLF

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1216804035573010432

Today, #ULARocketShip delivered the #AtlasV that will launch the sixth and final Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite for @AF_SMC. #AEHF6 was built by @LockheedMartin to provide secure military communications.

Read more in our blog: https://www.ulalaunch.com/explore/blog-detail/blog/2020/01/13/atlas-v-rocket-for-aehf-6-mission-arrives-at-the-cape

[zubenelgenubi]

How many Atlas V/Centaurs can be held in the ASOC?

The Solar Orbiter LV is stacked at SLC-41.

The AEHF-6 LV is now in ASOC?

The OTV-6 LV is in ASOC?

Did the Solar Orbiter LV need to move out before this most recent delivery could move in?

[anik]

CFT is at CCAFS too.

[jacqmans]

Thermal Blanket Signing

Ari Vogel, Director, AEHF Space Segment, shows Vice President Pence where the thermal blanket will be installed on AEHF-6 ahead of its March 2020 launch. Official White House Photo by D. Myles Cullen

[jacqmans]

Thermal Blanket Signing

In the West Wing, Vice President Pence signs the thermal blanket that will travel with the last satellite to join the global AEHF constellation. The blanket will travel with satellite six into space. Official White House Photo by D. Myles Cullen

[Yeknom-Ecaps]

Is there a mission emblem/patch for this flight?

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post; launch date and time of day window:

http://www.launchphotography.com/Delta_4_Atlas_5_Falcon_9_Launch_Viewing.html

ATLAS 5

<snip> Then, an Atlas 5 with the maximum five SRBs will launch AEHF-6 for the US Air Force on March 13 at 3:45pm EDT. The launch window stretches two hours to 5:45pm EDT. <snip>

EDT + 4:00 = UTC.  USA "springs forward" 1 hour to Daylight Savings Time on Sunday, March 8.

[PM3]

Now March 19 at 3:22 p.m. EDT (19:22 UTC), two hour launch window.

https://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/next-launch