Atlas 5 – Page 4 – Spaceflight Now

Officials forecast than 50 launches from Florida’s Space Coast this year

January 15, 2021 Stephen Clark

Military officials in charge of the Eastern Range at Cape Canaveral project more than 50 launches from Florida’s Space Coast this year, with SpaceX responsible for most of the launch activity, the vice commander of the 45th Space Wing said this week.

U.S. companies, led by SpaceX, launched more than any other country in 2020

January 5, 2021 Stephen Clark

Leading all other nations, U.S. launch providers flew 44 missions in 2020 that aimed to place payloads in Earth orbit or deep space, with 40 successes. China followed with 35 successful orbital missions in 39 launch attempts.

Lockheed Martin to buy rocket engine-builder Aerojet Rocketdyne

December 21, 2020 Stephen Clark

Lockheed Martin, the largest U.S. defense contractor, announced late Sunday that it has reached a deal valued at $4.4 billion to acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne, a supplier of engines to NASA’s Space Launch System moon rocket and United Launch Alliance’s Atlas, Delta, and Vulcan rockets.

Photos: Atlas 5’s stunning climb to space at sunset

November 19, 2020 Stephen Clark

This photo gallery includes a series of spectacular pictures of the launch of an Atlas 5 rocket Nov. 13 from Cape Canaveral with a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office.

ULA declares success on Atlas 5 launch with new solid rocket boosters

November 14, 2020 Stephen Clark

A top secret cargo for the U.S. government’s spy satellite agency soared into orbit from Cape Canaveral at the tip of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket Friday night, successfully debuting a new solid-fueled booster design that ULA says are cheaper and easier to handle than previous strap-on motors.

Watch a 4K replay of the Atlas 5 launching for the National Reconnaissance Office

November 14, 2020 Spaceflight Now

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket roars away from launch complex 41 at Cape Canaveral carrying a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office.

Atlas 5 rocket back on the launch pad for national security mission

November 12, 2020 Stephen Clark

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket made its third trip to a Cape Canaveral launch pad Thursday, rolling into position for liftoff Friday afternoon with a classified payload for the U.S. government’s spy satellite agency.

Live coverage: ULA launches Atlas 5 rocket with cargo for spysat agency

November 12, 2020 Stephen Clark

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral with a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office at 5:32 p.m. EST (2232 GMT) Friday. The launcher debuted new Northrop Grumman-built solid rocket boosters.

Atlas 5 takes shelter from Tropical Depression Eta

November 6, 2020 Stephen Clark

With Tropical Depression Eta forecast to restrengthen into a tropical storm and move toward Florida, United Launch Alliance moved an Atlas 5 rocket off its launch pad at Cape Canaveral Friday and delayed liftoff with a U.S. government spy satellite to Wednesday.

ULA scrubs Atlas 5 launch as SpaceX readies repaired rocket for GPS mission

November 4, 2020 Stephen Clark

United Launch Alliance called off the planned launch of an Atlas 5 rocket Wednesday at Cape Canaveral to resolve a problem with valves at the launch pad, while a SpaceX team a mile-and-a-half to the south readied a Falcon 9 rocket for liftoff Thursday evening with a GPS navigation satellite for the U.S. military.