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A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV rocket carrying the WGS-10 mission
for the U.S. Air Force lifts off from Space Launch Complex-37 at 8:26 p.m. ET
on
March 15, 2019 from Cape Canaveral Air
Force Station, FL – as birds flutter in this remote camera photo from the
launch pad. Credit: Ken
Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
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Ken Kremer --SpaceUpClose.com &
RocketSTEM –16 March 2019
CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, FL – The United LaunchAlliance Delta IV rocket put on a daunting display of ‘Friday Night Lights’ firepower
carrying the powerful new WGS-10 military satellite to orbit for the U.S. Air
Force providing critical real time tactical battlefield communications between troops
deployed in the field and commanders and analysts monitoring from across the
globe.
The delayed but dazzling blastoff of the Wideband
Global SATCOM-10 (WGS-10) mission for the U.S. Air Force finally took place at 8:26
p.m. EDT on Friday, Mar. 15, 2019 from Space Launch Complex-37 at Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
A series of technical issues with the rocket and problems with the orbiting NASA TDRS relay tracking satellite postponed the liftoff an hour and a half from the originally planned near sunset launch time of 6:56 p.m. EDT.
With time running out in the launch window closing at 9:05 p.m. engineers finally resolved all the issues and cleared the rocket for launch with a countdown poll and approval from the ULA launch director.
This launch was not to be missed and a sentimental favorite because this member of the Delta rocket family is nearing the end of its glorious 16 year life – because it counts as the penultimate Delta IV medium class rocket as it soared aloft from Cape Canaveral with the mighty military communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force, at dinnertime Friday night.
Enjoy our expanding Space UpClose gallery of eyewitness imagery from the Range Operation Center on base and sound activated remote cameras placed inside the Launch Complex 37 perimeter.
A series of technical issues with the rocket and problems with the orbiting NASA TDRS relay tracking satellite postponed the liftoff an hour and a half from the originally planned near sunset launch time of 6:56 p.m. EDT.
With time running out in the launch window closing at 9:05 p.m. engineers finally resolved all the issues and cleared the rocket for launch with a countdown poll and approval from the ULA launch director.
This launch was not to be missed and a sentimental favorite because this member of the Delta rocket family is nearing the end of its glorious 16 year life – because it counts as the penultimate Delta IV medium class rocket as it soared aloft from Cape Canaveral with the mighty military communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force, at dinnertime Friday night.
Enjoy our expanding Space UpClose gallery of eyewitness imagery from the Range Operation Center on base and sound activated remote cameras placed inside the Launch Complex 37 perimeter.
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Long exposure streak shot of ULA Delta IV
rocket carrying WGS-10 mission for the U.S. Air Force as it soars to orbit and
arcs over eastwards from Space Launch Complex-37 at 8:26 p.m. ET
on
March 15, 2019 from Cape Canaveral Air
Force Station, FL – with photographers in the foreground. Credit: Ken
Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
|
A key
feature in this advanced Block II series WGS satellite is inclusion of the
upgraded digital channelizer that nearly doubles the available bandwidth of
earlier satellites in the series.
WGS-10 can filter and downlink up to 8.088 GHz of bandwidth compared to 4.410 GHz for earlier WGS satellites. It supports communications links in the X-band and Ka-band spectra.
The Delta IV launched eastward over the Atlantic Ocean and put on a stunning sky show under picture perfect nighttime weather conditions.
Tourists from the across the globe flocked to the Kennedy Space center area filling hotels and restaurants thereby providing a much needed ‘space boost’ to the local ‘space coast’ economy.
Beaches and parks were packed with excited spectators from near and far who got a great and long show of awesome rocket power.
WGS-10 can filter and downlink up to 8.088 GHz of bandwidth compared to 4.410 GHz for earlier WGS satellites. It supports communications links in the X-band and Ka-band spectra.
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UpClose view of the first stage engines on
the ULA Delta IV
rocket including the liquid fueled RS-68 and four solid rocket motors moments
after liftoff of the WGS-10 mission for the U.S. Air Force from Space Launch
Complex-37 at 8:26 p.m. ET on
March 15, 2019 from Cape Canaveral Air
Force Station, FL – in this remote camera photo from the launch pad. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
|
The Delta IV launched eastward over the Atlantic Ocean and put on a stunning sky show under picture perfect nighttime weather conditions.
Tourists from the across the globe flocked to the Kennedy Space center area filling hotels and restaurants thereby providing a much needed ‘space boost’ to the local ‘space coast’ economy.
Beaches and parks were packed with excited spectators from near and far who got a great and long show of awesome rocket power.
 |
A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV rocket carrying the WGS-10 mission
for the U.S. Air Force lifts off from Space Launch Complex-37 at 8:26 p.m. ET
on
March 15, 2019 from Cape Canaveral Air
Force Station, FL – in this remote camera photo from the launch pad. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
|
WGS-10 is on its way to a designated but undisclosed slot to geostationary orbit some 22,000 miles (nearly 36,000 kilometers) above the equator.
WGS-10 is the tenth satellite in the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) constellation for the U.S. Air Force providing critical global military communications.
Boeing is the prime contractor for the massive 13,200-pound (6,000-kilogram) WGS satellites – each costing some $400+ million.
"Our satellites help ensure our military personnel have communications capability anytime and anywhere in the world," said Rico Attanasio, director of Tactical Military Satellite Communications Programs, part of Boeing’s Space and Launch business, in a statement. “We also look forward to our continued partnership with the Air Force as we expand the WGS fleet.”
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| WGS-10 |
This marks the 38th launch of the Delta IV rocket.
The 218 foot tall Delta IV Medium+ rocket launched in the 5,4 configuration with a 5 meter diameter payload fairing and 4 solid rocket boosters to augment the first stage. Northrop Grumman provided the four solid rocket motors.
The common booster core for Delta IV is powered by the RS-68A main engine fueled by liquid oxygen and RP-1 kerosene, and the Delta Cryogenic Second Stage is powered by the RL10B-2 engine, both supplied by Aerojet Rocketdyne.
Overall the first stage provides approximately 1.8 million pounds of thrust.
The is the eighth Delta IV flight in the Medium+ (5,4) configuration; all of which were used to launch the prior WGS missions. See our photos.
The prior WGS-9 mission launched on March 18, 2017.
ULA has been the exclusive launch provider for all ten satellites in the WGS constelation.
We are very proud to deliver this critical asset to orbit in support of the U.S. and Allied warfighters deployed around the world defending our national security," said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs, in a statement.
“Thank you to the entire ULA team and mission partners for their
outstanding teamwork and dedication to mission success.”
The
Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) system, developed by the Boeing Company, provides
wideband communications connectivity for U.S. and allied warfighters around the
world.
With todays liftoff ULA has a track record of 100% mission success with 133
successful launches since the company’s founding in 2006 as a joint venture of
Lockheed Martin and Boeing.
WGS-10 and her four sisters in the upgraded Block 2
series are the most powerful US Air Force military
communications satellite ever built.
To date
the entire WGS constellation has been launched by ULA on Delta IV medium
rockets.
It is
the tenth satellite in the WGS constellation that serves as the backbone of the U.S. military's global satellite
communications.
“WGS provides flexible, high-capacity communications for the
Nation's warfighters through procurement and operation of the satellite
constellation and the associated control systems,” according to the U.S. Air
Force.
“WGS provides worldwide flexible, high data rate and long haul
communications for marines, soldiers, sailors, airmen, the White House
Communication Agency, the US State Department, international partners, and
other special users.”
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ULA Delta IV Medium class rocket poised for
liftoff on WGS-10 mission for the U.S. Air Force from Space Launch Complex-37 on March 15, 2019 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
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The
final not to be missed launch of the Delta IV Medium rocket
is currently slated for 25 July 2019 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
carrying the GPS 3 SV02 navigation satellite payload to orbit for the U.S. Air Force.
The vehicle will launch in the Delta IV Medium+ 4,2 configuration with a 4-meter (13.1-foot) diameter payload fairing and 2 solid rocket boosters to augment the first stage.
ULA is retiring the Delta IV Medium because it is significantly more expensive to produce compared to the Atlas V and not competitive in the marketplace compared to SpaceX.
ULA is developing the new Vulcan Centaur rocket to replace both Delta IV and eventually Atlas V.
ULA will continue to fly the triple stick Delta IV Heavy with 5 launches on the books at this time – all highly classified for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) blasting off from both Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg AFBs.
Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida and Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia.
The vehicle will launch in the Delta IV Medium+ 4,2 configuration with a 4-meter (13.1-foot) diameter payload fairing and 2 solid rocket boosters to augment the first stage.
ULA is retiring the Delta IV Medium because it is significantly more expensive to produce compared to the Atlas V and not competitive in the marketplace compared to SpaceX.
ULA is developing the new Vulcan Centaur rocket to replace both Delta IV and eventually Atlas V.
ULA will continue to fly the triple stick Delta IV Heavy with 5 launches on the books at this time – all highly classified for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) blasting off from both Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg AFBs.
Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman 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, active in outreach and interviewed regularly on TV and radio about space
topics.
………….
Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events
Learn more about the upcoming/recent ULA Delta 4 WGS-10, SpaceX Demo-1, Falcon 9 Nusantara Satu launch, USAF GPS 3-01, SpaceX Falcon 9/CRS-16 launch to ISS, NASA missions, ULA Atlas & Delta launches, SpySats and more at Ken’s upcoming outreach events at Quality Inn Kennedy Space Center, Titusville, FL, evenings:
Mar 16: “ULA Delta 4 WGS-10 launch, SpaceX Falcon 9 Demo-1 and Nusantara Satu launch, Dragon CRS-16 resupply launch to ISS, SpaceX Falcon GPS 3-01, SpaceX Falcon Heavy & Falcon 9 launches, upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 USAF GP3 3-01, NRO & USAF Spysats, SLS, Orion, Boeing and SpaceX Commercial crew capsules, OSIRIS-Rex, Juno at Jupiter, InSight Mars lander, Curiosity and Opportunity explore Mars, NH at Pluto, Kuiper Belt and more,” Kennedy Space Center Quality Inn, Titusville, FL, evenings. Photos for sale
Ken’s upcoming talks:
Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events
Learn more about the upcoming/recent ULA Delta 4 WGS-10, SpaceX Demo-1, Falcon 9 Nusantara Satu launch, USAF GPS 3-01, SpaceX Falcon 9/CRS-16 launch to ISS, NASA missions, ULA Atlas & Delta launches, SpySats and more at Ken’s upcoming outreach events at Quality Inn Kennedy Space Center, Titusville, FL, evenings:
Mar 16: “ULA Delta 4 WGS-10 launch, SpaceX Falcon 9 Demo-1 and Nusantara Satu launch, Dragon CRS-16 resupply launch to ISS, SpaceX Falcon GPS 3-01, SpaceX Falcon Heavy & Falcon 9 launches, upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 USAF GP3 3-01, NRO & USAF Spysats, SLS, Orion, Boeing and SpaceX Commercial crew capsules, OSIRIS-Rex, Juno at Jupiter, InSight Mars lander, Curiosity and Opportunity explore Mars, NH at Pluto, Kuiper Belt and more,” Kennedy Space Center Quality Inn, Titusville, FL, evenings. Photos for sale
Ken’s upcoming talks:
Apr 3: “Exploring
Mars; The Search for Life & A Journey in 3-D.” 7 PM, Lawton C
Johnson Middle School, Summit, NJ: exploringlifeonmars.eventbrite.com
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ULA Delta IV Medium class rocket poised for
liftoff on WGS-10 mission for the U.S. Air Force from Space Launch Complex-37 on March 15, 2019 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
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