The Coronavirus crisis has not slowed down the United States Space Force.
The military’s newest branch launched its first satellite this week. This is the beginning of its first mission.
CNET reports:
Trump’s US Space Force successfully launches its first national security mission
A massive United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket took the US Space Force into space on Thursday. The rocket was decked out in the official Space Force logo as it escorted an Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite into orbit.
Atlas took off from a launchpad at Cape Canaveral in Florida. ULA’s live launch webcast kicked off at 11:37 a.m. PT, but the flight took place around 1:20 p.m. PT after a technical issue foiled the first countdown. The second attempt went off smoothly.
The Atlas V booster separated cleanly from the Centaur upper stage that will take the satellite on the final leg of its journey into orbit. “Successful staging and ignition of the Centaur upper stage is confirmed!” ULA tweeted. Centaur is scheduled to release the satellite almost six hours after launch.
Gen. Jay Raymond, chief of space operations, tweeted a look at the Space Force, which sat between an American flag and the ULA Atlas logo. “Despite COVID-19, we’re ready to launch,” he tweeted earlier on Thursday, describing this mission as the first national security space launch for the Space Force.
See the video below:
WATCH: The United States Space Force is officially in outer spacehttps://t.co/YMmh57Eifh pic.twitter.com/mVMjTME3yl
— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) March 26, 2020
This is so cool!
and LIFTOFF of the United Launch Alliance #AtlasV rocket with #AEHF6 on the 1st mission for the @SpaceForceDoD! pic.twitter.com/sJMuPSyqIf
— ULA (@ulalaunch) March 26, 2020
Despite #COVID19, we’re READY to launch #AEHF6—our 1st Nat’l Security Space launch for the @SpaceForceDoD. Check out the official USSF seal on the #AtlasV at Cape Canaveral AFS. Proud of the great teamwork w/our mission partners @ulalaunch @LockheedMartin @AF_SMC @45thSpaceWing! pic.twitter.com/ZYS6jHHfdU
— Gen. Jay Raymond (@SpaceForceCSO) March 26, 2020
This is just the beginning!
Cross posted from American Lookout.
