List of Atlas launches (2020–2029)
Appearance
List of Atlas launches |
---|
1957–1959 · 1960–1969 · 1970–1979 · 1980–1989 · 1990–1999 · 2000–2009 · 2010–2019 · 2020–2029 |
Notable missions
[edit]Solar Orbiter
[edit]
The Solar Orbiter (SolO)[1] is a Sun-observing probe developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) with a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) contribution. Solar Orbiter, designed to obtain detailed measurements of the inner heliosphere and the nascent solar wind, will also perform close observations of the polar regions of the Sun which is difficult to do from Earth. These observations are important in investigating how the Sun creates and controls its heliosphere.
Mars 2020
[edit]
Mars 2020 is a NASA mission that includes the rover Perseverance, the now-retired small robotic helicopter Ingenuity, and associated delivery systems, as part of the Mars Exploration Program. Mars 2020 was launched on an Atlas V rocket at 11:50:01 UTC on July 30, 2020,[2] and landed in the Martian crater Jezero on February 18, 2021, with confirmation received at 20:55 UTC.[3] On March 5, 2021, NASA named the landing site Octavia E. Butler Landing.[4] As of 23 December 2024, Perseverance has been on Mars for 1366 sols (1404 total days; 3 years, 309 days).[5][6][7][8][9] Ingenuity operated on Mars for 1042 sols (1071 total days; 2 years, 341 days) before sustaining serious damage to its rotor blades, possibly all four, causing NASA to retire the craft on January 25, 2024.[10][11]
Landsat 9
[edit]
Landsat 9 is an Earth observation satellite launched on 27 September 2021 from Space Launch Complex-3E at Vandenberg Space Force Base on an Atlas V 401 launch vehicle.[12] NASA is in charge of building, launching, and testing the satellite, while the United States Geological Survey (USGS) operates the satellite, and manages and distributes the data archive.[13] It is the ninth satellite developed in the Landsat program, and eighth to reach orbit (Landsat 6 failed to reach orbit). The Critical Design Review (CDR) was completed by NASA in April 2018, and Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems (NGIS) was given the go-ahead to manufacture the satellite.[14]
Lucy
[edit]
Lucy is a NASA space probe on a twelve-year journey to eight different asteroids. It is slated to visit two main belt asteroids as well as six Jupiter trojans – asteroids that share Jupiter's orbit around the Sun, orbiting either ahead of or behind the planet.[15][16] All target encounters will be flyby encounters.[17] The Lucy spacecraft is the centerpiece of a US$981 million mission.[18] It was launched on 16 October 2021.
Boeing Crew Flight Test
[edit]
Boeing Crew Flight Test (Boe-CFT) was the first crewed mission of the Boeing Starliner capsule. Launched on 5 June 2024, the mission flew a crew of two NASA astronauts, Barry E. Wilmore and Sunita Williams, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to the International Space Station. The mission was meant to last eight days, ending on 14 June with a landing in the American Southwest. However, Starliner's thrusters malfunctioned as it approached the ISS. After more than two months of investigation, NASA decided it was too risky to return Wilmore and Williams to Earth aboard Starliner. Instead, the Boeing spacecraft returned uncrewed on 7 September 2024, and the astronauts will ride down on the SpaceX Crew-9 spacecraft in March 2025.
Launch statistics
[edit]Launch history
[edit]2020
[edit]Flight No. | Date / time (UTC) |
Rocket, Configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Payload mass (kg) |
Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AV-087 | 10 February 2020, 04:03 | Atlas V 411 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | Solar Orbiter | 1,800 | Heliocentric | ESA | Success[19] |
ESA/NASA Heliophysics probe | ||||||||
AV-086 | 26 March 2020, 20:18 | Atlas V 551 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | USA-298 (AEHF-6, TDO-2) | 6,168 | GTO | US Space Force | Success[20] |
Sixth and final Advanced Extremely High Frequency military communications satellite | ||||||||
AV-081 | 17 May 2020, 13:14 | Atlas V 501 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | USA-299 (X-37B OTV-6, FalconSat-8) | ~5,000 | LEO | United States Space Force | Success[21] |
Sixth flight of the X-37B military spaceplane; first with a service module, plus FalconSat-8 satellite. | ||||||||
AV-088 | 30 July 2020, 11:50 | Atlas V 541 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | Mars 2020 (inc Perseverance, Ingenuity) | 3,839 | Heliocentric | NASA | Success[22] |
Spacecraft for NASA's Mars 2020 mission. | ||||||||
AV-090 | 13 November 2020, 22:32 | Atlas V 531 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | USA-310 (NROL-101) | Unknown | MEO[a] | NRO | Success[23] |
Unknown National Reconnaissance Office payload, first Atlas launch with updated GEM-63 strap-on solid rocket boosters. Originally thought to be a Molniya mission. Later sightings instead pointed towards a MEO mission. Likely an experimental payload. |
2021
[edit]Flight No. | Date / time (UTC) |
Rocket, Configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Payload mass (kg) |
Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AV-091 | 18 May 2021, 17:37 | Atlas V 421 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | USA 315 (SBIRS GEO-5) | ~4,500[24] | GTO | United States Space Force | Success[25] |
Fifth Space-Based Infrared System Geostationary satellite. | ||||||||
AV-092 | 27 September 2021, 18:12 | Atlas V 401 | Vandenberg, SLC-3E | Landsat 9 L9EFS |
2,711[26] +510 kg |
SSO | NASA / USGS | Success[27] |
Eighth Landsat geological survey satellite in orbit. Additionally launched the U.S. Space Force (USSF) Landsat-9 ESPA Flight System (L9EFS) which delivered several additional cubesats to orbit as a result of a cooperative engagement between NASA and U.S. Space Force to increase access to space for small satellite systems.[28] | ||||||||
AV-096 | 16 October 2021, 09:34 | Atlas V 401 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | Lucy | 1,550 | Heliocentric | NASA | Success[29] |
NASA mission to explore six Jupiter trojan asteroids.[30] Final interplanetary mission launched by the Atlas rocket family. | ||||||||
AV-093 | 7 December 2021, 10:19 | Atlas V 551 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | STP-3 (STPSat-6 & LDPE-1) | Unknown | GEO | United States Space Force | Success[31] |
The primary payload is the STPSat-6 satellite carrying SABRS-3, NASA's LCRD, and seven Defense Department Space Experiments Review Board space weather and situational awareness payloads. Alongside STPSat-6 was an integrated propulsive EELV Secondary Payload Adapter (IP-ESPA) holding up to six payloads.[32] The STP-3 mission also debuted three engineering features designed to reduce risk and accumulate flight experience before use on Vulcan Centaur: an Out-of-Autoclave (OoA) payload fairings, an in-flight power system and GPS enhanced navigation.[33] The launch was delayed multiple times, first in January due to the launch readiness of the STPSat-6 satellite,[34] in June due to some ringing of the RL10-C's new carbon nozzle extension observed during the SBIRS GEO-5 mission,[35] and in November due to a space vehicle processing issue.[36] |
2022
[edit]Flight No. | Date / time (UTC) |
Rocket, Configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Payload mass (kg) |
Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AV-084 | 21 January 2022, 19:00 | Atlas V 511 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | USSF-8 (GSSAP 5 & 6) | Unknown | GEO | United States Space Force | Success[37] |
USSF-8 launched two identical Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness satellites, GSSAP-5 and 6, directly to a geosynchronous orbit.[38] First and only flight of 511 configuration. | ||||||||
AV-095 | 1 March 2022, 21:38 | Atlas V 541 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | GOES-T | 5,200 | GTO | NOAA | Success[39] |
GOES meteorological satellite. GOES-T, which will be renamed GOES-18 once it reaches geostationary orbit, will replace GOES-17 as NOAA's operational GOES West satellite.[40] | ||||||||
AV-082 | 19 May 2022, 22:54 | Atlas V N22 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | Boeing Orbital Flight Test 2 (Boeing Starliner S2.1) | ~13,000 | LEO (ISS) | Boeing | Success[41] |
Atlas V releases the Starliner spacecraft on a transatmospheric orbit[42] with apogee of 181 km and a perigee of 72 km.[43] Starliner used its own engines to enter low Earth orbit and make its way to the International Space Station. | ||||||||
AV-094 | 1 July 2022, 23:15 | Atlas V 541 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | USSF-12 (WFOV & USSF-12 Ring) | Unknown | GEO | United States Space Force | Success[44] |
Rideshare mission consisting of 2 spacecraft. The forward payload was the Wide-field of View (WFOV) testbed that informs the Next Gen Overhead Persistent Infrared program (NG-OPIR) which will replace the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS). The aft payload was a propulsive ESPA named the USSF-12 Ring, which is a style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #EEE); color: var(--color-base, black); vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap; text-align: center; " class="table-Unknown" | Unknown mission for the Department of Defence. 100th flight of an RD-180 engine. | ||||||||
AV-097 | 4 August 2022, 10:29 | Atlas V 421 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | USA-336 (SBIRS GEO-6) | ~4,500[45] | GTO | United States Space Force | Success[46] |
Sixth and final Space-Based Infrared System Geostationary satellite. Final flight of an Atlas V with 4-meter fairing from Cape Canaveral. | ||||||||
AV-099 | 4 October 2022, 21:36 | Atlas V 531 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | SES-20 & SES-21 | ~3,300 | GEO | SES | Success[47] |
Boeing built communication satellites. Satellites launched on a dual stack configuration. SES-20 will be located as an in-orbit spare at 103° West, while SES-21 will be operated at 131° West.[48] | ||||||||
AV-098 | 10 November 2022, 09:49 | Atlas V 401 | Vandenberg, SLC-3E | JPSS-2 (NOAA-21) & LOFTID | 4,154 | SSO | NOAA | Success[49] |
Second JPSS weather satellite; joint NASA/ULA inflatable heat shield demonstrator (LOFTID).[50] Last launch of an Atlas V rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Final flight of an Atlas V with a 4-meter fairing. 100th use of Single Engine Centaur. |
2023
[edit]Flight No. | Date / time (UTC) |
Rocket, Configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Payload mass (kg) |
Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AV-102 | 10 September 2023, 12:47 | Atlas V 551 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | USA-346, USA-347 & USA-348 (NROL-107, Silentbarker)[51] |
Unknown | GEO | NRO | Success[52] |
Unknown NRO payload. Final NRO launch on an Atlas V. | ||||||||
AV-104 | 6 October 2023, 18:06 | Atlas V 501 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | KuiperSat-1 & KuiperSat-2 | Unknown | LEO | Kuiper Systems | Success[53] |
Project Kuiper Protoflight mission, carrying two demonstrator satellites. This is the Final Atlas V 501. |
2024
[edit]Flight No. | Date / time (UTC) |
Rocket, Configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Payload mass (kg) |
Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AV-085 | 5 June 2024, 14:52 | Atlas V N22 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | Boeing Crew Flight Test (Boeing Starliner S3.2 Calypso) | ~13,000 | LEO (ISS) | NASA | Success[54] |
Crewed flight test of the Starliner spacecraft to the ISS, with Sunita Williams and Barry E. Wilmore. First crewed launch of Atlas V. 100th Atlas V launch. | ||||||||
AV-101 | 30 July 2024, 10:45 | Atlas V 551 | Cape Canaveral, SLC-41 | USSF-51 | Unknown | GEO | United States Space Force | Success[55] |
First launch for United Launch Alliance under National Security Space Launch. Launch vehicle transferred from Vulcan Centaur to Atlas V. Final USSF launch on an Atlas V. |
Future launches
[edit]In August 2021, ULA announced that Atlas V would be retired, and all 29 remaining launches had been sold.[56] As of August 2024[update], 15 launches remain, all of which are listed here: six Starliner missions, eight launches for Project Kuiper, and one launch for ViaSat.
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ 11,033 km × 11,068 km (6,856 mi × 6,877 mi; 5,957 nmi × 5,976 nmi) x 58.5°
References
[edit]- ^ Solar Orbiter (SolO). Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam (AIP). Accessed on 18 December 2019.
- ^ "NASA, ULA Launch Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Mission to Red Planet". NASA. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Touchdown! NASA's Mars Perseverance Rover Safely Lands on Red Planet". NASA's Mars Exploration Program. 18 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Welcome to 'Octavia E. Butler Landing'". NASA. 5 March 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Strickland, Ashley (15 April 2021). "Why Mars? The fascination with exploring the red planet". CNN. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ "Mars | Facts, Surface, Moons, Temperature, & Atmosphere | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ Ben Turner (16 July 2021). "Some evidence of ancient Martian life has mysteriously vanished, NASA finds". livescience.com. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ mars.nasa.gov. "Mars Technologies - NASA". mars.nasa.gov. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ Chang, Kenneth (15 September 2022). "Life on Mars? This Could Be the Place NASA's Rover Helps Us Find It". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ "After Three Years on Mars, NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends". Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
- ^ NASA Science Live: Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Tribute & Legacy, 31 January 2024, retrieved 1 February 2024
- ^ "Coronavirus delays push back launch of next Landsat to September 2021". Spaceflight Now. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ "NASA, USGS Begin Work on Landsat 9 to Continue Land Imaging Legacy". NASA. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "FY 2021 Congressional Justification: Landsat 9 – Schedule Commitments/Key Milestones" (PDF). NASA. 10 February 2020. p. 321. Retrieved 7 May 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Hille, Karl (21 October 2019). "NASA's Lucy Mission Clears Critical Milestone". NASA. Archived from the original on 22 October 2019. Retrieved 5 December 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Lucy: The First Mission to the Trojan Asteroids". NASA. 21 April 2017. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Chang, Kenneth (6 January 2017). "A Metal Ball the Size of Massachusetts That NASA Wants to Explore". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 7 January 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
- ^ "Watch a video tour of NASA's Lucy asteroid explorer". Spaceflight Now. 6 October 2021. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
- ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Solar Orbiter to Study the Sun". United Launch Alliance. 10 February 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
- ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches First National Security Space Mission for the U.S. Space Force". United Launch Alliance. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches the Sixth Orbital Test Vehicle for the U.S. Space Force". United Launch Alliance. 17 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ^ "United Launch Alliance Atlas V Successfully Launches Mars 2020 Mission for NASA". United Launch Alliance. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches NROL-101 Mission in Support of National Security". United Launch Alliance. 14 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ "Sbirs-Geo 5, 6".
- ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches SBIRS GEO Flight 5 Mission in Support of National Security". United Launch Alliance. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ "Landsat 8, 9 (LDCM)".
- ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Important Earth Science Mission for NASA". United Launch Alliance. 27 September 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ "U.S. Space Force partners with NASA and U.S. Geological Survey on Landsat 9 mission Mission marks 300th Atlas and 2,000th launch since 1958 from Vandenberg". U.S. Space Force. 28 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ^ Warren, Haygen (15 October 2021). "NASA, ULA launch historic Lucy mission". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ "NASA Selects United Launch Alliance's Reliable Atlas V Rocket to Launch Lucy Mission to Jupiter's Trojan Asteroids". United Launch Alliance (ULA). 31 January 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
- ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Critical National Security Mission direct to GEO". United Launch Alliance (ULA). 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ "STPSat 6". 19 March 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- ^ "Atlas V STP-3". Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ ULA [@ulalaunch] (25 January 2021). "The launch of a ULA #AtlasV 551 rocket carrying the #STP3 mission for the @USSF_SMC has been delayed to enable the customer to evaluate the launch readiness of the STP Satellite-6 spacecraft" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ Bruno, Tory [@torybruno] (4 June 2021). "@StephenClark1 Those watching the live feed, may have observed some ringing of RL10s's new carbon nozzle extension. While it did its job, boosting RL10's eye watering performance even a bit higher, we want to make sure we fully understand that behavior before flying this configuration again" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ @ulalaunch (9 November 2021). "The launch of a ULA #AtlasV 551 rocket carrying the #STP3 mission for the @SpaceForceDOD was delayed due to a space vehicle processing issue. The new launch date is Dec. 4, 2021" (Tweet). Retrieved 9 November 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Critical Space Surveillance Mission for U.S. Space Force". United Launch Alliance (ULA). 22 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Atlas V USSF-8". 7 December 2021.
- ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Advanced Weather Satellite GOES-T". United Launch Alliance (ULA). 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
- ^ "Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite - R Series (Highlights: Launches)". Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches the Boeing CST-100 Starliner on Orbital Flight Test-2". United Launch Alliance (ULA). 20 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
- ^ "Mission Overview" (PDF). United Launch Alliance (ULA).
- ^ "Atlas V Starliner OFT-2 Mission Profile". YouTube. 27 July 2021.
- ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Critical National Security Mission for U.S. Space Force". United Launch Alliance (ULA). 2 July 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
- ^ "Sbirs-Geo 5, 6".
- ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Missile Warning Satellite for U.S. Space Force". United Launch Alliance. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
- ^ Kanayama, Lee (4 October 2022). "Final Atlas V 531 launches dual SES-20 and SES-21 satellites". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
- ^ "SES-20/21: Commercial satellite tandem stacked atop Atlas V". ULA. 20 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
SES-20 and SES-21 will operate in the 103 degrees West and 131 degrees West orbital slots, respectively.
- ^ Gebhardt, Chris (10 November 2022). "Atlas rocket bids farewell to California as ULA readies for Vulcan". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (10 March 2020). "NOAA finalizes secondary payload for JPSS-2 launch". SpaceNews. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ^ "United Launch Alliance Wins Competitive Contract Award to Launch Three National Security Space Missions for the Department of Defense". ULA. 20 February 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ Atkinson, Ian (10 September 2023). "ULA conducts NROL-107 launch, last Atlas NRO mission". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ Mike, Wall (6 October 2023). "Atlas V rocket launches Amazon's 1st 2 internet satellites to orbit (video)". Space.com. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ Elizabeth, Howell (5 June 2024). "Boeing's Starliner launches astronauts for 1st time in historic liftoff (photos, video)". Space.com. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ Davenport, Justin (29 July 2024). "Atlas V has launched on its last ever national security mission". NasaSpaceFlight. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
- ^ Roulette, Joey (26 August 2021). "ULA stops selling its centerpiece Atlas V, setting path for the rocket's retirement". The Verge. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
- ^ "Viasat Shareholder Letter: Q3 Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Results". Viasat. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
- ^ "Viasat Selects United Launch Alliance's Proven Atlas V Rocket for Commercial Satellite Launch". United Launch Alliance. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
- ^ Clark, Stephen (26 June 2024). "ULA will launch its second Vulcan rocket without a real payload". Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ "Amazon Secures United Launch Alliance's Proven Atlas V Rocket for Nine Project Kuiper Launches". ULA. 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ Clark, Stephen (7 August 2023). "Amazon shifts launch of its first Internet satellites to Atlas V rocket". Ars Technica. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
- ^ Jeff Foust [@jeff_foust] (2 October 2024). "A couple notes from today's ULA Cert-2 briefing" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Niles-Carnes, Elyna (15 October 2024). "NASA Updates 2025 Commercial Crew Plan". NASA. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
- ^ Clark, Stephen (25 August 2024). "NASA's Starliner decision was the right one, but it's a crushing blow for Boeing". Ars Technica. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
Tellingly, perhaps, NASA has only placed firm orders with Boeing for three Starliner flights once the agency certifies the spacecraft for operational use.