Gallery: Awesome ULA Atlas V Blastoff of Air Force AEHF-4 Relay Satellite for American Troops

Up Close Engine view of the fiery fury spewing from the five first stage Aerojet Rocketdyne solid rocket boosters and liquid fueled Russian made RD-180 engine after launch of the ULA Atlas V carrying the Advanced Extremely High Frequency AEHF-4 jam resistant military communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force on Oct. 17, 2018 at 12:15 a.m. ET from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on US national security mission. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Ken Kremer  --   SpaceUpClose.com  --   20 October 2018

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, FL –  The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket put on an absolutely awesome display of fire and fury instantly turning night into day just past midnight Wednesday upon blastoff of the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-4) national security communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force maintaining global relay connectivity of American & Allied troops and commanders in worst case scenario of nuclear war.

The 20-story tall ULA Atlas V rocket carrying the $1.8 Billion Lockheed Martin built AEHF-4 military satcom mission for the U.S. Air Force Space Command lifted off from Space Launch Complex-41 moments after midnight Oct. 17 at 12:15 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. 

Three and a half hours after liftoff AEHF-4 was released from the Centaur upper stage and successfully delivered the 6.8 ton behemoth to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). 

After orbit raising thrust firings over the next few weeks AEHF-4 will operate in geostationary orbit circling 22,300 miles (36000 kilometers) above Earth.

Enjoy all the exquisite action through our exclusive Space UpClose gallery of photos and videos stationed at the Cape and the launch pad. Check back as the gallery grows. 

Read our complete launch story here. 

Streaking to Orbit: Photographers watch at water edge as United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the Advanced Extremely High Frequency AEHF-4 jam resistant military communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force blasts off shortly after midnight liftoff to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) in this long duration exposure photo on Oct. 17, 2018 at 12:15 a.m. ET from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on a national security mission securely connecting US troops globally with US national leadership. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

AEHF-4 is fourth in line of a jam-resistant six-satellite constellation vital for U.S. National Defense joining three others already in orbit.

The satellite was encapsulated inside a RUAG Space built short payload fairing (PLF) - approximately 5.4 meters (17-feet) in diameter and 20.7 meters (68-feet) tall for the ride to orbit. 

ULA Atlas V rocket carrying the Advanced Extremely High Frequency AEHF-4 jam resistant military communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force blasts off shortly after midnight liftoff to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) on Oct. 17, 2018 at 12:15 a.m. ET from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on US national security mission. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The 197 foot tall (60 m) workhorse Atlas V rocket launched in the commanding 551 configuration which comprises a LOX & RP-1 kerosene-fueled common core booster powered by a Russian-made RD-180 main engine, a five-meter-diameter payload fairing built by RUAG Space in Switzerland, five first stage strap-on solid rocket motors built by Aerojet-Rocketdyne and a single RL-10C engine LOX & LH2 fueled Centaur upper stage. 

Up Close Engine view of the fiery fury spewing from the five first stage Aerojet Rocketdyne solid rocket boosters and liquid fueled Russian made RD-180 engine after launch of the ULA Atlas V carrying the Advanced Extremely High Frequency AEHF-4 jam resistant military communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force on Oct. 17, 2018 at 12:15 a.m. ET from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on US national security mission. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The nuclear hardened AEHF satellites provide secure, protected communications that instantly connect US warfighters on the ground across the globe with military commanders and top US leadership including the President to control their tactical and strategic forces in times of peace and wartime needs critical to US survival. 

The highly advanced satellites are designed to withstand fierce radiation pummeling in nightmare scenarios from enemy nuclear attacks.   

Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Watch my launch video here to experience the sound and fury Up Close at the launch pad:

Video Caption: Mightiest ULA Atlas V rocket roars to life carrying Advanced Extremely High Frequency AEHF-4 jam resistant military communications satellite for US Air Force Space Command shortly after midnight Oct. 17, 2018, 12:15 a.m. ET from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on US national security mission - as seen in this video camera stationed at pad. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The AEHF satellites are equipped with 2 SHF Downlink Phased Arrays, 2 Crosslinks, 2 Uplink/Downlink Nulling Antennas, 1 Uplink EHF Phased Array, 6 Uplink/Downlink  Gimbaled Dish Antenna, 1 Each Uplink/downlink earth coverage horns.

The data rate capability ranges from 75 bps to approximately 8 Mbps.

Streaking to Orbit: United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the Advanced Extremely High Frequency AEHF-4 jam resistant military communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force blasts off shortly after midnight liftoff to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) in this long duration exposure photo on Oct. 17, 2018 at 12:15 a.m. ET from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on a national security mission securely connecting US troops globally with US national leadership. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The AEHF system includes international partners from the United Kingdom, Canada and the Netherlands.

Launch of AEHF-4. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida and Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia.

Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer – email: ken at kenkremer.com

Dr. Kremer is a research scientist and journalist based in the KSC area.
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Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events