United Launch Alliance (ULA) has rescheduled the flight of the Atlas V rocket, which will bring payload towards the Earth's outer atmosphere for the Space Force's SBIRS Geo-5 Satellite to track missiles on-air. This launch is significant for the security and safety of the country, as it would bring the satellite which could identify an impending attack with its missile tracking system.
It was supposed to be a liftoff confirmation for ULA's team to launch the Atlas V rocke from the launch island of Cape Canavera, but instead, it takes a step back and waits another day for its mission. This mission would be a plus for the United States, as it adds another missile-tracking satellite among its arsenals to see impending attacks from the air.
ULA has been the partner of most launches which involves concerns of national security for the United States, particularly as the US Air Force also utilized their services to have a GPS-tracking satellite in space.
ULA's Atlas V Rocket to Reschedule on Tuesday
According to United Launch Alliance's Twitter statement (@ulalaunch), the Centaur Liquid Oxygen (LOX) chill-down operations, an anomalous system response has plagued the operation leading to aborting the flight. The problem has not been resolved within the launch window and has led to the cancellation of the entire mission.
ULA has not revealed if this problem was something that could jeopardize the entire mission as a whole, but the space company has opted to take the safe way out and live to launch another day. Now, the rescheduling of the Atlas V rocket with its SBIRS Geo-5 Satellite payload will take place on Tuesday, May 18, scheduled for 1:31 pm (Eastern Daylight Times) or 10:31 am PST.
How to Watch Atlas V Rocket's Launch?
ULA has already prepared for its initial launch of the Atlas V Rocket with a YouTube live stream for people to watch and witness, before its untimely cancellation due to its liquid oxygen. With this, the company has already prepared another live stream to await the launch for Tuesday, May 18, to anticipate the spacecraft's mission to deliver its payload.
This launch can either be tuned in from the video below or via ULA's official YouTube channel where it already has a placeholder for the live video. Without another technical problem or postponement, ULA assures that the Atlas V with the SBIRS Geo-5 Satellite would launch in a few hours for people to witness.
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Written by Isaiah Richard