United Launch Alliance provided launch services for this mission. The 460th Space Wing at Buckley AFB, Aurora, Colorado, operates the SBIRS constellation. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale, California, is the SBIRS prime contractor, and Northrop Grumman Space Systems, Azusa, California, is the payload developer. Space Force Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. SBIRS is managed by the Production Corps at the U.S. вЂњ I am proud of our strong partnership across the many government organizations and multitude of industry partners and the teamвЂ™s unwavering commitment to deliver national space capabilities and critical warfighter support.вЂќ Erin Gulden, SBIRS GEO-5 launch mission director and chief of SMCвЂ™s Atlas and Delta Division. вЂњ Congratulations to the entire integrated team on the first NSSL Atlas V launch of 2021,вЂќ said Col. and its allies have increased global situational awareness.вЂќ вЂњT he SBIRS program not only represents a new era of overhead infrared surveillance offering vital support to the national defense mission, but also the dedication of space acquisition and production professionals to ensuring the U.S. Space Force Program Executive Office for Space Production. вЂњ Thanks to the diligent efforts of the government and contractor teams, the SBIRS program has launched another critical asset into the nationвЂ™s Overhead Persistent Infrared constellation,вЂќ said Cordell DeLaPena, Jr., U.S. SpaceВ ForceвЂ™s Space and Missile Systems Center, planned for June 23, 2021, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. ULAвЂ™s next launch is the Space Test Program (STP)-3 mission for theВ U.S. This was the 87 thВ launch of the Atlas V rocket and the 72 ndВ Atlas V to launch from Space Launch Complex-41 in Florida. Aerojet Rocketdyne provided the RL10C-1-1 engine for the Centaur upper stage and the two AJ-60A solid rocket boosters.

The Atlas booster for this mission was powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 engine. The mission launched on an Atlas V 421 configuration rocket thatВ included a 13.7-ft (4-m) Extra Extended Payload Fairing (XEPF). Space Force to continue to meet the national security needs of our country.вЂќ вЂњ Thank you to our mission partners for the tremendous teamwork as we processed and launched this asset that provides powerful surveillance and critical capabilities to protect our warfighters,вЂќ said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs. To date, ULA has launched 144 times with 100 percent mission success. EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Space ForceвЂ™s Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) lifted off on May 18 at 1:37 p.m. The ULA Atlas V launch of the SBIRS GEO-5 push to orbit.ДЄ United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying theВ Space Based Infrared SystemВ Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (SBIRS GEO) Flight 5 mission for the U.S.

Smc geo 5