Atlas V SBIRS GEO-4 Launch Highlights

Here we have, as always, the launch highlights from last weeks Atlas V SBIRS launch. It was an early evening launch with spectacular views, as is usually the case for an Atlas V launch. This particular clip is interesting to me in that this being Launch Complex 41, it’s the same one that Cassini, and …
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SBIRS Geo-4 Successfully Launches On An Atlas V Rocket

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V lifted off yesterday from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying the 4th Geostationary Satellite in the  Space-Based Infrared System, a collection of specialty satellites operated by the United States Air Force designed to assist the United States military in situational awareness in the battlefield, especially …
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The Final Week Of Cassini

As of the writing of this article, the Cassini mission around Saturn has 9 days 14 hours or so remaining. On September 15th, 2017, the probe will descend into the atmosphere of Saturn, burning up as it plummets into the gaseous mass of the plant it has spent over a decade studying. (Sure, it’s a …
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Atlas V TDRS-M Rocket Cam Footage!

Now for something actually somewhat exciting to me, the onboard footage of the Atlas V TDRS-M launch from a few days ago. This is exactly what it sounds like, the view from the booster of the launch, including staging, ignition of the Centaur stage RL-10 engine, and the payload deployment. It’s straightforward, just the way …
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Atlas V 360 Degree Launch View – Orbital ATK Cygnus CRS-7

As I mentioned in the previous articles about the Cygnus CRS-7 launch, this launch was one of the recent ones recorded using 360 degree cameras. One of the few “trendy” things I actually like, these allow you a somewhat “like you’re really there” experience without requiring expensive virtual reality gear, and without ruining the video …
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EchoStar XIX Atlas V Launch Highlights

Another day, another launch it seems. A United Launch Alliance Atlas V booster (431 configuration) launched the Echostar 19 communications satellite today, marking the 68th Atlas V launch. Normally I would go on waxing poetically about the payload, the booster, and what have you, but this time, there isn’t anything to say that hasn’t been …
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