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LIVE: Atlas-V - MUOS-2 - July 19, 2013 by jacqmans on 16 Jan, 2013 14:41
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Lockheed Martin Completes Work On U.S. Navy's Second MUOS Satellite
Date: 16-Jan-2013 10:28 AM
MUOS-2 to be Placed in Storage Prior to 2013 Launch
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jan. 16, 2013 - Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has successfully completed required system testing on the second satellite in the U.S. Navy's Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), designated MUOS-2. The satellite has been placed in storage to await its scheduled launch date in July 2013.
The MUOS constellation will provide significantly improved and secure communications for mobile warfighters, including simultaneous voice, video and data services - similar to the capabilities experienced today with smart phones. The first MUOS satellite, launched February 24, and the associated ground system are currently providing legacy on orbit capability, followed by the launch of MUOS-2 in 2013. The five-satellite, global constellation is expected to achieve full operational capability in 2015.
"The joint U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin MUOS team completed an efficient integration and test campaign of MUOS-2 and we look forward to delivering this critical satellite for launch," said Iris Bombelyn, vice president for the Lockheed Martin's Narrowband Communications mission area. "As we continue to produce MUOS satellites, we expect to drive even greater efficiency and affordability into our operations."
In the spring of 2013, Lockheed Martin will remove the satellite from storage, perform final spacecraft component installations and conduct a final factory confidence test in Sunnyvale, Calif., prior to shipping MUOS-2 to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., for its launch aboard an Atlas V rocket.
MUOS satellites are equipped with a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) payload that provides a 16-fold increase in transmission throughput over the current Ultra High Frequency (UHF) satellite system. Lockheed Martin announced completion and delivery of the waveform last week. Each MUOS satellite also includes a legacy UHF payload that is fully compatible with the current UHF Follow-on system and legacy terminals. This dual-payload design ensures a smooth transition to the cutting-edge WCDMA technology while the UFO system is phased out.
Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, Calif., is the MUOS prime contractor and system integrator. The Navy's Program Executive Office for Space Systems, Chantilly, Va., and its Communications Satellite Program Office, San Diego, Calif., are responsible for the MUOS program.
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#1 by Skyrocket on 22 Jan, 2013 12:11
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Any info on the Atlas serial number?
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#2 by jacqmans on 25 May, 2013 12:35
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US Navy’s second MUOS satellite readies for launch in July
The US Navy's second Lockheed Martin-built Mobile User Objective System (MUOS-2) satellite has been delivered to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, US, marking the start of launch site testing process and delivery to orbit.
http://www.naval-technology.com/news/newsus-navy-second-muos-satellite-readies-launch-july -
#3 by jacqmans on 25 May, 2013 12:35
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Lockheed Transports MUOS-2 Satellite to U.S. Navy Base
May 15, 2013
Lockheed Martin Corp. has handed over to the U.S. Navy its second mobile communications satellite to commence site testing and delivery of the spacecraft to orbit.
http://www.thenewnewinternet.com/2013/05/15/done-lockheed-transports-muos-2-satellite-to-u-s-navy-base/ -
#4 by jacqmans on 25 May, 2013 12:36
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L2 info:
· Wet Dress Rehearsal scheduled > 6/27/13
· Launch scheduled > 7/19/13, window: 0851L – 0935L -
#5 by a_langwich on 17 Jun, 2013 02:48
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I'm trying to resolve three data points:
D1) The MUOS-2 satellite is mentioned as being around 15,000 lbs.
D2) The Atlas 551 is listed as supporting about 19,000 lbs to GTO.
D3) The MUOS launch was listed as "performance-limited" by Jake Szatkowski's iCubeSat 2012 presentation, in the context of rideshare availability for payloads between single-digit kilograms up to metric tons.
So, on the face of it, there might seem to be a couple metric tons free in there. Is it
1) ULA was giving MUOS "room to grow," that is, there actually is some capacity available, but they wanted to reserve that capacity in case the customer wanted to make some requirements changes that might reduce it?
2) ULA wants to reserve some margin for mission assurance, perhaps like the RL-10 underperformance a few launches back?
3) MUOSes go to a more energetic orbit than GTO and the 19,000 lbs figure is too high for these satellites?
4) The 15,000 lbs weight figure does not include an adapter or maneuvering fuel or some other hardware (packing peanuts
), which is included in the 19,000 lb figure, so there is in fact no extra margin?
5) Fact D1 or D2 is incorrect?
6) the write-in choice, something different from any of the above?
And, perhaps wandering a bit from MUOS-2, if the Orion flight checks out dual-engine Centaurs, is it likely to be used by slightly overweight former 551 satellite customers (I guess NRO, rarely DoD, and very rarely NASA flagship and/or big interplanetary missions)? Is it considerably cheaper than a Delta Heavy? -
#6 by Galactic Penguin SST on 17 Jun, 2013 02:55
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I'm trying to resolve three data points:
D1) The MUOS-2 satellite is mentioned as being around 15,000 lbs.
D2) The Atlas 551 is listed as supporting about 19,000 lbs to GTO.
D3) The MUOS launch was listed as "performance-limited" by Jake Szatkowski's iCubeSat 2012 presentation, in the context of rideshare availability for payloads between single-digit kilograms up to metric tons.
So, on the face of it, there might seem to be a couple metric tons free in there. Is it
1) ULA was giving MUOS "room to grow," that is, there actually is some capacity available, but they wanted to reserve that capacity in case the customer wanted to make some requirements changes that might reduce it?
2) ULA wants to reserve some margin for mission assurance, perhaps like the RL-10 underperformance a few launches back?
3) MUOSes go to a more energetic orbit than GTO and the 19,000 lbs figure is too high for these satellites?
4) The 15,000 lbs weight figure does not include an adapter or maneuvering fuel or some other hardware (packing peanuts ), which is included in the 19,000 lb figure, so there is in fact no extra margin?
5) Fact D1 or D2 is incorrect?
6) the write-in choice, something different from any of the above?
And, perhaps wandering a bit from MUOS-2, if the Orion flight checks out dual-engine Centaurs, is it likely to be used by slightly overweight former 551 satellite customers (I guess NRO, rarely DoD, and very rarely NASA flagship and/or big interplanetary missions)? Is it considerably cheaper than a Delta Heavy?
Option 3, obviously.
Last time MUOS-1 was launched towards a 3460 * 35786 km * 19 deg. GTO, which obviously requires more performance than the "standard GTO" (200 * 35786 km * 28.5 deg.) listed for the 19,000 lbs performance.
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#7 by a_langwich on 17 Jun, 2013 03:28
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Option 3, obviously. Last time MUOS-1 was launched towards a 3460 * 35786 km * 19 deg. GTO, which obviously requires more performance than the "standard GTO" (200 * 35786 km * 28.5 deg.) listed for the 19,000 lbs performance.
Ah, thanks!
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"MUOSes? I don't believe they exist."
"RAWRRR!" (giant rodent leaping out of the ground) --The Princess Bride -
#8 by baldusi on 17 Jun, 2013 19:31
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BTW, Orion and SLS are human rating the DIVUS. Which is still single engine. The Commercial Crew program is doing the DEC. But it adds about 2tonnes only to LEO. It's got worse performance to high energy orbits (MEO/GTO).
I ignore the effect to SSO. But I'm assuming the since ULA is tryi g to use the stock of RL10, they'll rather save an engine and use an extra solid. After all, they have already validated most payloads to SEC. Why change a working solution and have to press ahead the NGE at the same time? -
#9 by a_langwich on 19 Jun, 2013 22:33
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BTW, Orion and SLS are human rating the DIVUS. Which is still single engine. The Commercial Crew program is doing the DEC. But it adds about 2tonnes only to LEO. It's got worse performance to high energy orbits (MEO/GTO).
I ignore the effect to SSO. But I'm assuming the since ULA is tryi g to use the stock of RL10, they'll rather save an engine and use an extra solid. After all, they have already validated most payloads to SEC. Why change a working solution and have to press ahead the NGE at the same time?
Ah, that's right. I guess it was the CST-100 program that was talking about verifying the additional flow paths for DEC, not Orion. And SEC is not DCSS. I guess Orion and SLS are human rating DCSS for SLS interim, not for Delta; and CST-100 and DreamChaser are both using Atlas and trying to human-rate it. Whew.
I don't have much faith in NGE efforts ("this RL-10C-3-3C-3 has all the advantages of NGE, plus it's lighter and has higher ISP"), but I'd really like to see ACES happen.
Anyway, back to the regularly scheduled MUOS-2 programming. -
#10 by Antares on 20 Jun, 2013 16:36
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6) the write-in choice, something different from any of the above?
Option 3, obviously. Last time MUOS-1 was launched towards a 3460 * 35786 km * 19 deg. GTO, which obviously requires more performance than the "standard GTO" (200 * 35786 km * 28.5 deg.) listed for the 19,000 lbs performance.
It can also be in-flight retargeting where the Centaur raises the final orbit while extending the burn to expend any surplus fuel, minimizing the satellite propellant that has to be used to get to the final orbit. -
#11 by jacqmans on 24 Jun, 2013 18:30
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U.S. Hopes Court Ruling, New Studies Will Break Impasse on MUOS Station
WASHINGTON — U.S. government officials hope an Italian appeals court ruling and results from a pair of health studies, all expected within a month, will help break an impasse that has halted work on a critical U.S. military satellite ground station in Sicily.
Construction of the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) ground station in Niscemi, Italy, was halted in April following months of protests sparked by concerns about harmful electromagnetic radiation that might be emitted from the site. The station is one of four being built for MUOS, a U.S. Navy satellite system intended to serve mobile forces.
http://www.spacenews.com/article/military-space/35921us-hopes-court-ruling-new-studies-will-break-impasse-on-muos-station#.UciP1ozCSUk -
#12 by jacqmans on 29 Jun, 2013 16:44
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The second Mobile User Objective System satellite is prepared for launch at Cape Canavaral Air Force Station, Fla., in June 2013. It is the last time the satellite can be visible before encapsulated in its fairing.
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#13 by WHAP on 29 Jun, 2013 21:10
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Any info on wet dress? Wasn't it supposed to be Thursday?
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#14 by jacqmans on 29 Jun, 2013 22:34
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L2 info:
SLC-41 – Atlas V / MUOS-2
Wet Dress Rehearsal scheduled > 6/28/13
Launch scheduled > 7/19/13, window: 0851L – 0935L -
#15 by baldusi on 30 Jun, 2013 00:10
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MUOS are the first satellites to require a 5m Medium fairing, right? I find it interesting that that's because of the dish position, since, basically, all the ogive is empty.
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#16 by wkann on 03 Jul, 2013 18:18
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It appears that the MUOS-2 spacecraft was moved to Space Launch Complex 41 overnight. @Philtill777 on Twitter posted a pic that appears to be the same KAMAG transporter that has moved Atlas Payloads in the past (MSL pic below) rolling down the road at KSC.
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#17 by Jim on 03 Jul, 2013 19:19
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It appears that the MUOS-2 spacecraft was moved to Space Launch Complex 41 overnight. @Philtill777 on Twitter posted a pic that appears to be the same KAMAG transporter that has moved Atlas Payloads in the past (MSL pic below) rolling down the road at KSC.
If that is the VAB is the background, that means the KAMAG is heading west towards Astrotech. If so, then I would say that the spacecraft is still at Astrotech -
#18 by wkann on 03 Jul, 2013 19:45
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If that is the VAB is the background, that means the KAMAG is heading west towards Astrotech. If so, then I would say that the spacecraft is still at Astrotech
I was thinking the same thing, but the MUOS-2 spacecraft was encapsulated a week ago tomorrow, and it seems that they rollout pretty quickly after encapsulation. Either way, the spacecraft is either on the rocket now, or will be in the next few days. -
#19 by Overflow on 07 Jul, 2013 18:12
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How far do you guys think this launch will be visible from? I'll be about an hour north of Jacksonville, FL during this launch. And I was wondering if I'd be able to see it.
), which is included in the 19,000 lb figure, so there is in fact no extra margin?