By Marina Malenic
The Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center has awarded United Launch Alliance (ULA) a contract modification to perform launch services for the Advanced Extremely High Frequency-3 (AEHF-3) satellite aboard an Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle.
ULA was formed in 2007 from the merger of Lockheed Martin [LMT] and Boeing [BA] rocket divisions.
The anticipated launch period is spring or summer 2012, according to a statement released yesterday by ULA. The launch is expected to take place from Space Launch Complex-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
The AEHF-3 mission will put the third AEHF space vehicle on orbit. The constellation is expected to provide 10 times greater capacity and channel data rates five times higher than that of the existing Milstar II communications satellites, according to the Air Force. These higher data rates will permit transmission of tactical military communications such as real-time video, battlefield maps and targeting data.
Meanwhile, the Air Force is studying which elements of the canceled Transformational Satellite (TSAT) program it will harvest and insert into AEHF (Defense Daily, March 17).
The AEHF-3 mission will be launched by an Atlas V (531) configuration using three Aerojet [GY] solid rocket motors, a Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne [UTX] RL10A upper stage engine, a five-meter diameter upper stage and composite payload fairing, according to ULA.
ULA program management, engineering, test and mission support functions are headquartered in Denver, Colo. Manufacturing, assembly and integration operations are located at Decatur, Ala., Harlingen, Texas, San Diego, Calif., and Denver, Colo. Launch operations are located at CCAFS, Fla., and Vandenberg AFB, Calif.