The Air Force doesn’t expect tracking radar issues on its East Coast space launch range to affect West Coast launches at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., despite the two ranges having similar systems, according to a key official.
Vandenberg 4th Space Launch Squadron Commander Air Force Lt. Col. James Bodnar said although the two space launch ranges are similar, each and every individual piece of equipment is “very unique.”
Engineers and technicians at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., encapsulate the 19th Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) block 5D weather satellite within its launch fairing on March 14. Photo: United Launch Alliance. Engineers and technicians at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., encapsulate the 19th Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) block 5D weather satellite within its launch fairing on March 14. Photo: United Launch Alliance.
“So while there may be some commonality and function, there’s very little overlap in specific design pieces and parts,” Bodnar told reporters during a teleconference. “So right now, we’re not projecting to have any type of similar issue that would delay the DMSP-19 launch.”
The Air Force plans to launch a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellite Thursday at 10:46 a.m. EST from Vandenberg. The DMSP satellites provide terrestrial and space weather information and fulfill requirements for global atmospheric, oceanic, terrestrial and space environment information, according to the Air Force. DMSP sensors provide imagery in visible, infrared (IR) and microwave bands to enhance information available to warfighters.
A launch of a National Reconnaissance Organization (NRO) satellite, NROL-67, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., was postponed last week due to a tracking radar overheating from an electrical short, according to the 45th Space Wing. Tracking radars track the flight of rockets after liftoff, in case they become errant. Cape Canaveral, along with NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, is part of the eastern range of launch sites while Vandenberg is part of the western range.
Launch provider United Launch Alliance (ULA) said last week it would be ready to launch NROL-67 as soon as April 10, but the Air Force said repairs to the tracking radar would take approximately three weeks. The Air Force is evaluating the feasibility of returning an inactive radar to full mission capability to resume operations sooner. Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) had a NASA Cargo Resupply Services (CRS) launch planned for March 30, but that was also postponed to an undetermined date.
DMSP-19 is to be launched on one of ULA’s Atlas V rockets. The DMSP satellite was built by Lockheed Martin [LMT] and Northrop Grumman [NOC]. DMSP-19 will be the seventh satellite in the DMSP constellation, which had been on a brief hiatus. DMSP-18 was launched in October 2009. ULA is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing [BA].
Aerospace Corporation spokeswoman Jessica Brown said the company had a part in DMSP-19 by providing a detailed mission assurance assessment and verification during the entire DMSP-19 satellite build cycle. Brown said the company did an assessment and verification of the Atlas launch vehicle to ensure the launch vehicle and satellite were ready for launch and mission operation.
The DMSP satellites operate in sun-synchronous orbit, meaning they cross over the equator at approximately the same local time each day and night. This orbit allows consistent scientific observations with the angle between the sun and the earth’s surface remaining relatively constant, meaning it keeps the angle of sunlight on the surface of the earth as consistent as possible, though the angle changes from season to season.