We have some interesting launches due this week. Not only will Blue Origin send more tourists to the edge of space, but South Korea will send its first lunar mission to the Moon with SpaceX's help.
TWIRL 14: SpaceX and OneWeb to orbit more internet satellites neowin.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from neowin.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying U.S. Space Force’s fifth Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous satellite (SBIRS GEO 5) for missile early-warning detection, lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Tuesday, May 18, 2021, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) A $1 billion missile-warning satellite for the U.S. Space Force rocketed toward orbit Tuesday.
It was the fifth in this series of space-based infrared system satellites. These advanced national security spacecraft are meant to replace the long-time Defense Support Program constellation of surveillance satellites.
United Launch Alliance sent the Atlas V rocket skyward from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. “Bird away,” ULA President Tory Bruno announced via Twitter.
US Space Force missile-warning satellite rockets into orbit sfgate.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sfgate.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Background image via ULA
The upcoming week in rocket launches promises to be fairly routine, that said, there are two particularly interesting missions. On Monday, the United Launch Alliance will orbit a U.S. military satellite that is designed to provide early warning of a missile launch and on Thursday, a Chinese Long March rocket will orbit the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft which will dock with the Tianhe module of the Chinese Space Station.
Monday, May 17
As mentioned, the United Launch Alliance is set to launch one of its Atlas V rockets (AV-091) into space carrying the U.S. military’s fifth Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous (SBIRS GEO 5) satellite which has been designed for missile early warning detection. Secondary payloads going up on this launch include Technology Demonstration Orbiter 3 (TDO-3) and four CubeSats. You can find the live stream on YouTube.