A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 501 variant rocket almost launched the USSF-7 mission for the U.S. Space Force. Nestled inside the payload fairings sits the highly secretive X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle. This marks the sixth flight of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV-6) which has launched aboard both ULA’s Atlas V rocket and the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
This launch will mark the 139th mission for United Launch Alliance. It is the 84th for an Atlas V rocket and the 7th in the 501 configurations. ULA’s Atlas V rocket became known as the workhorse for the U.S. military, intelligence community, and scientific researchers. The Atlas V development strategy focused on a modular design. Each Atlas V gets tailored to suit the needs of the customer with the capability of adding up to five side-mounted solid rocket boosters for increased lift. The Atlas V offers various payload fairings of different diameters and lengths designed to protect satellites during atmospheric ascent. The Centaur serves as the upper stage of the rocket. Centar provides the additional thrust used to send spacecraft to destinations including other planets in our solar system.
The planned launch of the ULA’s Atlas V 501 rocket for USSF-7
• Launch Date: May 16, 2020 at 8:24 a.m. EDT.
• Launch Location: Space Launch Complex-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Next attempt:
• Launch Date: May 17, 2020 at 9:14 a.m. EDT.
• Launch Location: Space Launch Complex-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force
During the last flight of the X37B Orbital Test Vehicle(OTV), it remained in orbit for 779 days. Other details of the mission remain classified, not available for public comment. The prior mission launched on May, 20, 2015. That mission marked the fourth OTV mission launched by Atlas V as part of the AFSPC-5 mission. Saturday’s mission designated as United States Space Force-7(USSF-7)
About the launch attempt:
Fueling operations started at Space Launch Complex-41 even though the weather did not look favorable. Ground winds exceeded the allowable limit, but the count continued until reaching the pre-scheduled hold at T-Minus 4 minutes. The 8:24 am launch of the X-37B Space Plane was cancelled due to poor weather conditions. The next launch window opened at 10:13 A.M. (EDT). The weather did not cooperate with rain and high winds at 10:24 the launch was scrubbed for the day. The expected turn around time for a mission scrub makes the next launch window 9:14 AM eastern on Sunday, May 17th.
About The Author
Bill D’Zio
Co-Founder at WestEastSpace.com
Bill founded WestEastSpace.com after returning to China in 2019 to be supportive of his wife’s career. Moving to China meant leaving the US rocket/launch industry behind, as the USA and China don’t see eye to eye on cooperation in space. Bill has an engineering degree and is an experienced leader of international cross-functional teams with experience in evaluating, optimizing and awarding sub-contracts for complex systems. Bill has worked with ASME Components, Instrumentation and Controls (I&C) for use in launch vehicles, satellites, aerospace nuclear, and industrial applications.
Bill provides consulting services for engineering, supply chain, and project management.
