Tue, Apr 17, 2018
EAGLE Launched Saturday From Cape Canaveral Air Force Station In Florida
Orbital ATK designed the EAGLE (ESPA Augmented Geostationary Laboratory Experiment) experimental satellite for the U.S. Air Force’s AFSPC-11 mission that successfully launched on United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V vehicle April 14 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The AFSCPC-11 mission included a second company designed satellite, Mycroft, which is among several Department of Defense experiments hosted on the EAGLE platform as separate payloads.
The EAGLE and Mycroft satellites are based on the company’s ESPAStar™ and ESPASat™ products, which provide modular, cost-effective and highly capable infrastructure resources for hosting technology development and operational payloads. The Orbital ATK-designed EAGLE satellite is the first spacecraft based on the company’s innovative ESPAStar platform. The ESPAStar vehicle can accommodate any combination of up to six hosted or 12 separable, free-flyer payloads in low and geosynchronous orbit and is built to provide an even greater level of access to space. Orbital ATK designed and delivered the EAGLE satellite under a contract with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Space Vehicles Directorate.
After a successful separation from the launch vehicle, EAGLE is hosting several Department of Defense payloads, including Mycroft, the second Orbital ATK-designed satellite to be deployed on the mission. Mycroft, a separable, fly-away experiment, utilized the company’s ESPASat platform for its flight. ESPASat is designed as an affordable GEO bus that can be launched as a secondary payload from an ESPAStar platform.
“Orbital ATK is proud to partner with the U.S. Air Force on the EAGLE and Mycroft missions,” said Chris Long, Vice President, National Security Systems at Orbital ATK. “Our unique capabilities to host separating and non-separating payloads represent a turning point in affordable access to space for small satellites and payloads.”
(Image provided with Orbital ATK news release)
More News
Aero Linx: International Business Aviation Council Ltd IBAC promotes the growth of business aviation, benefiting all sectors of the industry and all regions of the world. As a non->[...]
"During the annual inspection of the B-24 “Diamond Lil” this off-season, we made the determination that 'Lil' needs some new feathers. Due to weathering, the cloth-cove>[...]
Also: Bushcat Woes, Hummingbird 300 SL 4-Seat Heli Kit, Carbon Cub UL The newest Junkers is a faithful recreation that mates a 7-cylinder Verner radial engine to the airframe offer>[...]
Also: Seaplane Pilots Association, Rotax 916’s First Year, Gene Conrad After a decade and a half of struggling with the FAA and other aero-politics, G100UL is in production a>[...]
Also: Martha King Scholarship, Montaer Grows, Textron Updates Pistons, FlySto The FAA is hiring thousands of air traffic controllers, but the window to apply will only be open for >[...]
ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.16.24)
See All