CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. -- The U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center’s sixth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite rolled out to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex-41 launch pad on March 25 ahead of its scheduled launch.
Launch of the AEHF-6 satellite aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch vehicle is set for March 26, with the launch window opening at 2:57 p.m. EDT. A live feed will begin 20 minutes before launch and conclude approximately 45 minutes after launch. Simulcast of the broadcast can be viewed at: http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/multimedia_webcasts.html.
To maximize satellite on-orbit capability, SMC ordered the most powerful Atlas rocket available for this mission, the Atlas V 551. This lift-off will mark the 11th Atlas V 551 launch, 83rd Atlas V launch and the first mission launch for the U.S. Space Force.
The SMC-procured AEHF satellite is a joint-service communications system providing survivable, global, secure, protected and jam-resistant communications for high-priority military ground, sea and air assets. AEHF also provides protected satellite communications to our international partners Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands and Australia. The AEHF system is the follow-on to the Milstar system, augmenting, improving and expanding the DoD’s Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) architecture.
The Production Corps, SMC’s agile capabilities delivery arm, leads the AEHF team, and the U.S. Space Force operates the AEHF system. SMC’s Launch Enterprise leads the combined government/contractor launch effort. Lockheed Martin Space is the AEHF prime contractor, and Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems is the payload developer and manufacturer.
Media representatives who would like to interview a subject matter expert or learn more about the AEHF-6 mission should send an email to smcpa.media@us.af.mil.