Categories: LaunchesMilitary

Gallery: Atlas 5 Launches US Navy’s Heavyweight MUOS-2 Satellite into Orbit

A heavyweight next generation of military communications satellites was launched on July 19, 2013 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, in Florida. The Mobile User Objective System (MUOS)-2 satellite launched on board a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, and is now in the process of reaching to its final geostationary orbit.

Images here are courtesy of John O’Connor from the Nasatech website.

The satellite weighed nearly 7,000 kg (15,000 pounds) making it one of the heaviest payloads ever launched with an Atlas 5.

See more launch images below:

The launch of the Mobile User Objective System satellite (MUOS-2), a Navy communications satellite aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, on July 19, 2013. Credit and copyright: John O’Connor/Nasatech.net

It will take about eight days to maneuver MUOS-2 into geostationary orbit according to Captain Paul Ghyzel, the Navy’s MUOS program manager.

The US Navy says the new satellite is the second satellite in a new system that supports a worldwide, multi-Service population of users in the ultra-high frequency band. The system provides increased communications capabilities, and is designed to support users that require greater mobility, higher data rates and improved operational availability.

The MUOS-1 launched in February 2012 and there will be five such satellites in the system that are described as being like orbital cell phone towers to span the globe.

The network will cost a total of $5 billion.

The launch of the Mobile User Objective System satellite (MUOS-2), a Navy communications satellite aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, on July 19, 2013. Credit and copyright: John O’Connor/Nasatech.net
Arcing out on an easterly course to geosync orbit the Atlas V/MUOS-2 vehicle accelerates. Credit and copyright: John O’Connor/Nasatech.net

See more MUOS-2 launch images from John at Nasatech.net.

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy has been with Universe Today since 2004, and has published over 6,000 articles on space exploration, astronomy, science and technology. She is the author of two books: "Eight Years to the Moon: the History of the Apollo Missions," (2019) which shares the stories of 60 engineers and scientists who worked behind the scenes to make landing on the Moon possible; and "Incredible Stories from Space: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Missions Changing Our View of the Cosmos" (2016) tells the stories of those who work on NASA's robotic missions to explore the Solar System and beyond. Follow Nancy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Nancy_A and and Instagram at and https://www.instagram.com/nancyatkinson_ut/

Recent Posts

DART Changed the Shape of Asteroid Dimorphos, not Just its Orbit

On September 26th, 2022, NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) collided with the asteroid Dimorphos,…

8 hours ago

Cosmochemistry: Why study it? What can it teach us about finding life beyond Earth?

Universe Today has had some fantastic discussions with researchers on the importance of studying impact…

8 hours ago

Webb Finds Deep Space Alcohol and Chemicals in Newly Forming Planetary

Since its launch in 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has made some amazing…

11 hours ago

Mercury is the Perfect Destination for a Solar Sail

Solar sails rely upon pressure exerted by sunlight on large surfaces. Get the sail closer…

11 hours ago

Phew, De-Icing Euclid’s Instruments Worked. It’s Seeing Better Now

From its vantage point at the Sun-Earth L2 point, the ESA's Euclid spacecraft is measuring…

15 hours ago

New View Reveals Magnetic Fields Around Our Galaxy’s Giant Black Hole

Fresh imagery from the Event Horizon Telescope traces the lines of powerful magnetic fields spiraling…

15 hours ago