The Air Force and Navy successfully launched the Navy’s fourth in a new constellation of satellites designed for beyond-the-line-of-sight communications, the Air Force said Wednesday.
The Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 41 on Wednesday morning at 6:18 a.m. aboard an Atlas V rocket. MUOS-4 joins three other satellites in space that are already operational. Lockheed Martin [LMT], the satellite builder, is under contract to provide a total of five MUOS units.
MUOS-4 was original scheduled for launch Aug. 28 but was delayed due to uncertainty in weather conditions related to Tropical Storm Erika.
MUOS is replacing the Ultra High Frequency Follow-On Systems constellation and is designed to offer over a 10 times greater communications capacity. As a narrowband tactical satellite communications system, MUOS will allow troops to transmit and receive voice, video, and data with the same kind of coverage as a smartphone, Lockheed Martin has said (Defense Daily, June 30).
“Today’s successful launch is the culmination of the USAF Space Command’s 45th Space Wing, Space and Missile Systems Center, Navy, and ULA’s close partnership and dedicated teamwork. We will continue our unwavering focus on mission success and guaranteeing assured access to space for our nation,” Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, SMC commander and Air Force Program Executive Officer for space, said in a statement.
“MUOS is a Navy-led program. But we work closely with the Army and Air Force to deliver worldwide, tactical satellite communications to the joint warfighter,” Navy Capt. Joe Kan, Communications Satellites program office program manager, added.
MUOS-1 and -2 were launched in 2012 and 2013, respectively, with MUOS-3 launched earlier this year. The fifth and final MUOS is planned to be launched in 2016. MUOS-5 will be the on-orbit spare.
Contractor United Launch Alliance (ULA), producer of the Atlas V, carried out the launch. ULA is a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing [BA].