Streaking to Orbit: Photographers watch at water edge as United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the Advanced Extremely High Frequency AEHF-4 jam resistant military communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force blasts off shortly after midnight liftoff to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) in this long duration exposure photo on Oct. 17, 2018 at 12:15 a.m. ET from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on a national security mission securely connecting US troops globally with US national leadership. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

AEHF-4 is fourth in
line of a jam-resistant six-satellite constellation vital for U.S. National
Defense joining three others already in orbit.


The satellite was encapsulated inside a RUAG Space
built short payload fairing (PLF) – approximately 5.4 meters (17-feet) in
diameter and 20.7 meters (68-feet) tall for the ride to orbit. 

ULA Atlas V rocket carrying the Advanced Extremely High Frequency AEHF-4 jam resistant military communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force blasts off shortly after midnight liftoff to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) on Oct. 17, 2018 at 12:15 a.m. ET from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on US national security mission. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The 197 foot tall (60 m) workhorse
Atlas V rocket launched in the commanding 551 configuration which comprises a
LOX & RP-1 kerosene-fueled common core booster powered by a Russian-made
RD-180 main engine, a five-meter-diameter payload fairing built by RUAG
Space in Switzerland, five first stage strap-on solid rocket motors built by
Aerojet-Rocketdyne and a single RL-10C engine LOX & LH2 fueled Centaur
upper stage. 

Up Close Engine view of the fiery fury spewing from the five first stage Aerojet Rocketdyne solid rocket boosters and liquid fueled Russian made RD-180 engine after launch of the ULA Atlas V carrying the Advanced Extremely High Frequency AEHF-4 jam resistant military communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force on Oct. 17, 2018 at 12:15 a.m. ET from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on US national security mission. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The nuclear hardened AEHF
satellites provide secure, protected communications that instantly connect US warfighters
on the ground across the globe with military commanders and top US leadership
including the President to control their tactical and strategic forces in times of peace and wartime
needs critical to US survival. 


The highly advanced
satellites are designed to withstand fierce radiation pummeling in nightmare
scenarios from enemy nuclear attacks.   

Streaking to Orbit: United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the Advanced Extremely High Frequency AEHF-4 jam resistant military communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force blasts off shortly after midnight liftoff to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) in this long duration exposure photo on Oct. 17, 2018 at 12:15 a.m. ET from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on a national security mission securely connecting US troops globally with US national leadership. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The AEHF system includes
international partners from the United Kingdom, Canada and the Netherlands.

Launch of AEHF-4. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Watch for Ken’s
continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin,
Orbital ATK and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space
Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida and Wallops Flight Facility,
Virginia.


Stay tuned here for Ken’s continuing Earth and Planetary science
and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com –
twitter @ken_kremer – email: ken at kenkremer.com


Dr. Kremer is a research
scientist and journalist based in the KSC area.
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