Atlas V Roars Into Orbit On Maiden Flight With A HotBird

ROCKET SCIENCE

First flight of Atlas 5 goes off without a hitch

Cape Canaveral - Aug 21, 2002
The first Atlas V launch vehicle scored a triumph for builder Lockheed Martin Corp. and launch provider International Launch Services (ILS) today, placing its satellite payload into orbit with a flawless flight.

The rocket lifted off from the new Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral at 6:05 p.m. All systems performed as expected, and the Hot Bird 6 broadcast satellite was placed into orbit about 31 minutes later. Satellite owner Eutelsat, of Paris, reported that the spacecraft is doing fine.

"Once again the Atlas team has demonstrated its careful preparation and dedication to Mission Success," said Mark Albrecht, president of ILS, which manages all tasks associated with providing launch services on the Atlas. "This is the sixth of six Atlas variants with first-flight success, and the third time Eutelsat has been our inaugural customer. I'm proud we could once again validate their trust and confidence in Atlas."

The Atlas V, produced by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., is the latest generation in a long line of reliable rockets. Today's flight gives the Atlas family a string of 61 consecutive successful launches over nine years using the Atlas II, Atlas III and Atlas V vehicle configurations.

"I am extremely proud of the phenomenal team of people at Lockheed Martin, our suppliers and partners, who have built the best launch system in the world," said G. Thomas Marsh, president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Space Systems - Astronautics Operations.

"We had a vision back in 1993 of where we wanted to take the Atlas.

With today's successful launch, we celebrate the achievement of that vision and the continuing success story of Atlas."

This is the most powerful version of Atlas launch vehicles to launch, illustrating Lockheed Martin's commitment to being the preeminent launch system provider in the United States. Atlas V is the first to fly of the next-generation launch vehicles designed to meet the needs of the U.S. Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program as well as the global commercial satellite market.

International Launch Services, headquartered in McLean, Va., markets not only the Atlas but also the Russian Proton, offering mutual backup between the two vehicles. ILS is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Russian companies Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and RSC Energia.

Hot Bird 6 is the most powerful satellite to be launched for Eutelsat. It is an Alcatel Spacebus 3000B3 satellite carrying 28 transponders at Ku-band and 4 at Ka-band, as well as a Skyplex payload for on-board multiplexing. It will be used to provide television and radio broadcast services. The Hot Bird satellites are positioned at 13 degrees East longitude and deliver 600 television channels and 475 radio services across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

ROCKET SCIENCE

Atlas 5 Rolls Out For Fueling Test And Mock Countdown

Cape Canaveral - Mar 15, 2002
Lockheed Martin's new Atlas 5 booster passed its first major test on the launch pad this week on the way to the debut launch this summer. Over a five-day period, the Atlas team rolled the rocket on its mobile launch platform to the launch pad, loaded the super-cold propellants on board and conducted a simulated launch countdown. The Atlas 5 is being developed in partnership with the U.S. Air Force as part of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Program.

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