Atlas 5 gets go-ahead for second Air Force mission Nov 04, 2003 ( taken from SpaceFlightNow )

File image of Atlas 5 rocket launching from Cape Canaveral. Credit: ILS

The U.S. Air Force has authorized International Launch Services (ILS) to begin integrating the Wideband Gapfiller Satellite #3 (WGS-3) with the Atlas 5 rocket, as the second mission ordered from the company under the government's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program.

WGS-3 is planned for launch in early 2006 on the Atlas 5 vehiclebuilt by Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT). In February, the Air Forceauthorized ILS to begin integration of WGS-2, now set for launch inlate 2005. In July, under a separate contract, NASA ordered an Atlas 5launch for the 2006 Pluto New Horizons mission, for a total of threeAtlas 5 sales to the U.S. government this year.

ILS, a Lockheed Martin joint venture, has been assigned 17government missions under the Air Force's EELV program. Funding forthe WGS missions is contained in the 2004 Defense Authorization Act.

Both WGS missions will launch from Cape Canaveral Air ForceStation, Fla. The Wideband Gapfiller Satellites program, like the EELVprogram, is managed by the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Centerat Los Angeles Air Force Base. The satellites are designed to augmentdefense communications services currently provided by the DefenseSatellite Communications System and the Global Broadcasting Service,as well as provide a new high-capacity, two-way Ka-band service insupport of our nation's deployed forces.

"We're pleased to place these two Air Force missions on ourmanifest," said ILS President Mark Albrecht. "We're committed toproviding reliable service to meet our national defense needs, whilemaintaining our launch tempo for commercial customers worldwide."

Lockheed Martin developed the Atlas 5 vehicle to meet Air ForceEELV requirements and for ILS commercial missions. Since its debut inAugust 2002, the Atlas 5 vehicle has flown successfully in all threeof its launches. The Atlas 5 rocket evolved from the Atlas 3vehicle, which also has had three successful launches. These sixcommercial missions contribute to the Atlas family record of 66consecutive successful launches over the past 10 years.

"With three successful Atlas 5 launches in 11 months in variousconfigurations, we have proved out the performance range of thevehicle," Albrecht said. "We're proud of Atlas 5's versatility."

The Atlas 5 vehicle is designed to lift payloads up to nearly8,700 kg to geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). To support Atlas 5missions, Lockheed Martin built a state-of-the-art launch complex atCape Canaveral. The new site introduces the "clean pad" concept toU.S. launch capabilities for the first time, and consolidates thesupport operations into two facilities: the Atlas SpaceflightOperations Center (ASOC) and the Vertical Integration Facility. Cleanpad operations enable the Atlas 5 vehicle to be assembled, tested andmated with the encapsulated spacecraft away from the pad, thusreducing time at the pad and allowing for quick turnaround betweenmissions.

ILS is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Corp. that markets andmanages government and commercial missions on the Atlas rocket tocustomers worldwide.