Atlas V launches from Cape Canaveral with prototype Amazon satellites

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket climbed by means of the House Coast skies carrying a pair of prototype satellites to orbit on the primary of what is deliberate to be dozens of launches for Amazon.

The Challenge Kuiper Protoflight mission’s purpose is to assist Amazon nail down the way it needs to assemble everything of its deliberate 3,236-satellite constellation that goals to supply international broadband web service and compete with the likes of SpaceX’s Starlink and different satellites techniques.

The Atlas V made its 99th journey off the planet launching from Cape Canaveral House Pressure Station’s House Launch Advanced 41 at 2:06 p.m. on the opening of a two-hour window. It was ULA’s 158th mission because it started operations in 2006.

“Chook is away,” posted ULA President and CEO Tory Bruno on social media after liftoff. “Sizzling, straight and regular,”

The payload weights weren’t revealed as Amazon has been tight-lipped with its prototype designs, however the Atlas V was in its slim 501 configuration that means it used a 5.4-meter fairing and no exterior stable rocket boosters to get the payloads to the goal 311 mile altitude. The rocket launched with 860,200 kilos of thrust on liftoff and deployment by way of the Centaur second stage will happen about 18 minutes later. Weight on liftoff with its full load of propellant was 748,149 kilos, based on ULA.

“The prototype mission provides ULA and Amazon sensible expertise working collectively forward of full-scale launches, together with processing procedures, payload integration and mission administration,” ULA posted on its mission weblog after liftoff.

This marks solely the third launch of 2023 for ULA whereas SpaceX has already managed 70 profitable flights amongst launch pads in California and Florida. All of ULA’s launches have been from Cape Canaveral with one Delta IV Heavy in June and now its second Atlas V launch. It is the 54th launch of the yr from the House Coast with SpaceX offering 50, ULA three and Relativity House a lone launch again in March.

ULA’s launch frequency is slated to choose up within the subsequent six years as it’s contracted to supply the lion’s share of launches for Amazon’s satellites together with 9 of the corporate’s remaining 18 Atlas V rockets together with Friday’s and one other 38 on ULA’s in-development Vulcan Centaur rocket that might see its first flight earlier than the tip of the yr.

Amazon is constructing out a $120 million satellite processing facility on the Kennedy House Middle’s former Shuttle Touchdown Facility set to start operations by 2025 the place ultimate preps together with satellite fueling will happen earlier than being transported to ULA’s launch services in addition to to Jeff Bezos’ rocket firm Blue Origin on a neighboring pad on the Cape the place the in-development New Glenn goals to affix the launch social gathering as nicely.

Amazon founder and billionaire Bezos stepped down as that firm’s CEO and president in 2021 however stays as its govt chairman. He totally owns Blue Origin and funds it by promoting off his Amazon shares every year.

The Challenge Kuiper launch contract requires an preliminary 12 launches on New Glenn with a further non-compulsory 15. Each New Glenn and ULA’s Vulcan Centaur depend on Blue Origin’s BE-4 engines for launch of their first stage. Vulcan takes two of them whereas New Glenn wants seven for every launch.

Amazon additionally has tapped Arianespace and its in-development Ariane 6 rocket for a further 18 launches and nonetheless has contracts for 2 launches with small rocket launch supplier ABL House Techniques, on which it had initially deliberate to ship up the prototype satellites, however shifted to ULA after delays. They had been purported to then fly on the primary Vulcan flight again in Might, however that too was delayed, so Amazon switched to the Atlas V.

Together with Friday’s launch, Amazon has contracted for as much as 94 launches for Challenge Kuiper: 47 from ULA, as much as 27 from Blue Origin, 18 from Arianespace and two from ABL House Techniques.

Its license from the Federal Communications Fee calls for half of the three,236 satellites be positioned in orbit by July 31, 2026 and the total constellation by July 31, 2029.

The primary operational Challenge Kuiper satellites are anticipated to start launching on the remaining eight Atlas V rockets beneath contract in 2024 after which shift to the three heavy-lift rockets from ULA, Blue Origin and Arianespace after they come on-line, however there is a chance these launches will not start till 2025.

2023 Orlando Sentinel.

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