An Atlas V rocket launched on Tuesday, Jan. 20, from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, carrying a next-generation communications satellite that will provide U.S. military forces with cellular-like voice and data services around the world.
Standing 20 stories tall, the Atlas V rocket was manufactured and managed by United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Perched atop is the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), a satellite intended to offer 3G-like cellular technology to troops, aircraft, submarines, ships and vehicles on the move anywhere in the globe.
"Thanks to the Atlas team for the safe delivery of MUOS-3 into our Geosynchronous Transfer orbit. The addition of this satellite will give the MUOS constellation coverage over more than three-quarters of the globe, further extending the reach of the advanced communications capabilities MUOS will provide our mobile warfighters," said Iris Bombelyn, Narrowband Communications vice president for Lockheed Martin.
MUOS works like a smartphone network up in the sky, a secure mobile communications satellite for all U.S. troops to use. Compared to previous systems, the current MUOS features on-demand, beyond-line-of-sight capabilities for transmitting and receiving high-quality voice and data through a high-speed Internet system.
After the launch, the MUOS will spend nine days transitioning to its geosynchronous location in orbit 22,000 miles above Earth. Antennas and solar arrays will be deployed, commencing on-orbit testing. With everything in place, the MUOS will be turned over to the Navy for further testing and subsequent commissioning.
Worth $7.3 billion, MUOS is actually a five-satellite system. The one that just launched is the third one. The fourth launch is scheduled later in 2015 while the fifth satellite, an on-orbit spare, will see flight in 2016.
For now, MUOS will be supplementing the Ultra High Frequency Follow-On satellite system the Navy has currently deployed. Once all MUOS satellites are in place, though, the legacy system will be replaced.
When fully operational, the MUOS will provide up to 16 times the capacity of the legacy system. It will have two payloads to guarantee continuous access to the UHF narrowband, with one for Wideband Code Division Multiple Access incorporating a new waveform and the use of commercial technology for priority-based tasks.
At almost 15,000 pounds, the weight of the MUOS required the heaviest lifters of Atlas rockets. The satellite launched into space on five solid-rocket boosters complemented by a booster engine made by Russia, generating up to 2.5 million pounds of thrust in the process.
