Uploaded January 2017 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Video Credit: United Launch Alliance
Launch Updates: spaceflight101.com/atlas-v-sbirs-geo-3
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket thundered off from Cape Canaveral Friday night, carrying into orbit a critical missile warning satellite for the U.S. defense forces to keep watch over potentially dangerous missile launches affecting the U.S. homeland and forces stationed abroad.
The 59-meter tall Atlas V rocket lit up the dark skies over Florida’s space coast at 7:42 p.m. local time, 0:42 UTC on Saturday, departing to the east-south-east to take into orbit the $1.2 billion SBIRS-GEO 3 satellite to join what is considered the Pentagon’s most important satellite program, enabling global missile detection and cutting in half warning lead times over the previous system.
Video Credit: United Launch Alliance
Launch Updates: spaceflight101.com/atlas-v-sbirs-geo-3
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket thundered off from Cape Canaveral Friday night, carrying into orbit a critical missile warning satellite for the U.S. defense forces to keep watch over potentially dangerous missile launches affecting the U.S. homeland and forces stationed abroad.
The 59-meter tall Atlas V rocket lit up the dark skies over Florida’s space coast at 7:42 p.m. local time, 0:42 UTC on Saturday, departing to the east-south-east to take into orbit the $1.2 billion SBIRS-GEO 3 satellite to join what is considered the Pentagon’s most important satellite program, enabling global missile detection and cutting in half warning lead times over the previous system.
