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Mission Overview A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 411 the solar wind that permeates the whole solar MISSION rocket will deliver the Solar Orbiter spacecraft system and influences the planets within it. to an interplanetary trajectory to the sun. Liftoff By researching the mechanism behind the will occur from Space Launch Complex-41 at acceleration of the solar wind, Solar Orbiter is Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. contributing essential science that could one day lead to a space-weather forecasting service MISSION Solar Orbiter addresses big questions in solar that will allow us better to protect our essential system science to help us understand how technology on Earth and humans in space. our star creates and controls the heliosphere, a giant bubble of charged particles blown by Solar Orbiter is an international cooperative OVERVIEW mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. The spacecraft, developed by Airbus, carries a suite of ten scientific instruments built in Europe and the United States that are designed to provide close-up, high-latitude images of the sun. Solar Orbiter will reach its highly elliptic operational orbit nearly two years after launch by using gravity assist maneuvers (GAMs) around Earth and Venus. Subsequent GAMs around Venus will increase its inclination to the solar equator over time, reaching up to 33 degrees in 2029. The European Space Operations Center ATLAS V The Atlas V 411 rocket, a unique (ESOC) in Germany will operate Solar Orbiter configuration that includes just one after launch. solid rocket booster, provides the Spacecraft Image Courtesy of NASA/ATG MediaLab/NASA optimum performance to precisely deliver a range of mission types. In its nearly 15 years of service, Payload Fairing (PLF) Solar Orbiter the 411 rocket has completed five LAUNCH The spacecraft is encapsulated in the 4-m (14-ft) Spacecraft flights, including NASA’s OSIRIS- VEHICLE diameter large payload fairing (LPF). The LPF is REx mission. a bisector (two-piece shell) fairing consisting of aluminum skin/stringer construction with First Launch: Apr. 20, 2006 vertical split-line longerons. The vehicle’s height 4-m Payload Launches to date: 5 with the LPF is approximately 57.6 m (189 ft). Fairing Performance to GTO: 5,950 kg Centaur Payload Adapter (13,110 lb) The Centaur second stage is 3 m (10 ft) in diam- eter and 12.6 m (41.5 ft) in length. Its propellant Performance to LEO-Reference: tanks are pressure-stabilized and constructed of 12,030 kg (26,530 lb) corrosion-resistant stainless steel. Centaur is a cryogenic vehicle, fueled with liquid hydrogen Centaur and liquid oxygen, powered by an RL10A-4-2 engine producing 10,115 kg (22,300 lb) of thrust. The cryogenic tanks are insulated with a com- bination of helium-purged blankets, radiation RL10A-4-2 Engine shields and spray-on foam insulation (SOFI). The Aft Stub Adapter Centaur forward adapter (CFA) provides struc- tural mountings for the fault-tolerant avionics Interstage system and structural and electrical interfaces Adapter MISSION With more than a century of with the spacecraft. combined heritage, ULA is the SUCCESS world’s most experienced and reli- Booster able launch service provider. ULA The booster is 3.8 m (12.5 ft) in diameter and has successfully delivered more than 32.5 m (106.5 ft) in length. The booster’s tanks 135 missions to orbit that provide are structurally rigid and constructed of isog- Earth observation capabilities, en- rid aluminum barrels, spun-formed aluminum able global communications, unlock domes and intertank skirts. Booster propulsion is Booster provided by the RD-180 engine system (a single the mysteries of our solar system and support life-saving technology. engine with two thrust chambers). The RD-180 Solid Rocket burns RP-1 (Rocket Propellant-1 or highly puri- Booster fied kerosene) and liquid oxygen and delivers 390,180 kg (860,200 lb) of thrust at sea level. One solid rocket booster (SRB) generates the additional power required at liftoff, providing 158,077 kg (348,500 lb) of thrust. The Centaur avionics system, provides guidance, flight con- trol and vehicle sequencing functions during the RD-180 Engine booster and Centaur phases of flight. ulalaunch.com Copyright © 2020 United Launch Alliance, LLC. All Rights Reserved. CAPE DELTA IV M+ (5,2) CAPE DELTA IV M+ (5,4) CAPE DELTA IV HEAVY CAPE DELTA IV M+ (4,2) 1 Second 1 Second 1 Second Solid Rocket Stage Solid Rocket Stage Second Solid Rocket Stage Motors Motors 1 Stage Motors Booster Booster Booster Booster(s) 2 Fairing 1 Delta Operations Center 2 Fairing 1 Delta Operations Center 2 Fairing 1 Delta Operations Center Halves Mission Director’s Center & Halves Mission Director’s Center & Fairing Halves Mission Director’s Center & Second Stage Processing Second Stage Processing Halves Second Stage Processing 2 Receipt Inspection Shop 2 Receipt Inspection Shop 2 Receipt Inspection Shop Receiving, Inspection, Staging Receiving, Inspection, Staging 1 Delta Operations Center Receiving, Inspection, Staging Payload & Final Processing Payload & Final Processing Payload Payload & Final Processing Attach Mission Director’s Center & 3 Attach 3 Attach Second Stage Processing 3 Attach Fitting 3 Horizontal Integration Facility Fitting 3 Horizontal Integration Facility Fitting Fitting 3 Horizontal Integration Facility 5 Receiving, Inspection & Vehicle 5 Receiving, Inspection & Vehicle 2 2 Horizontal Integration Facility 5 Receiving, Inspection & Vehicle Integration Integration 4 Receiving, Inspection & Vehicle Integration Integration 4 Spacecraft Processing Facility 4 Spacecraft Processing Facility 4 Spacecraft Processing Facility 4 Spacecraft Processing, Testing 4 Spacecraft Processing, Testing 3 3 Spacecraft Processing Facility 4 Spacecraft Processing, Testing DELTA II & Encapsulation ATLAS V 401 & Encapsulation ATLAS V 411 Spacecraft Processing, Testing ATLAS V 421 & Encapsulation ATLAS V 431 Spacecraft Spacecraft PRODUCTION & Encapsulation FLIGHT Spacecraft 5 Mobile Service Tower 5 Mobile Service Tower 5 Mobile Service Tower Launch Launch Vehicle Integration & Launch Launch Vehicle Integration & 4 Mobile Service Tower PROFILE Launch Launch Vehicle Integration & Table Testing, Spacecraft Mate & Table Testing, Spacecraft Mate & Launch Vehicle1 Sacramento, Integration CA & Table 1 Sacramento,Testing, CA Spacecraft Mate & 1 Sacramento, CA Integrated Operations Integrated Operations Spacecraft Integrated Operations Testing, Spacecraft Solid Rocket Mate Booster & Fabrica- Solid Rocket Booster Fabrica- Solid Rocket Booster Fabrica- Payload Payload Payload Payload Integrated Operationstion at Aerojet Rocketdyne 11 tion at Aerojet Rocketdyne tion at Aerojet Rocketdyne Transporter Transporter Transporter 10 Transporter12 1 Denver, CO 2 Denver, CO 9 2 Denver, CO 2 Denver, CO ULA Headquarters & Design ULA Headquarters & Design ULA Headquarters & Design ULA Headquarters & Design 1 Sacramento, CA Center Engineering Center Engineering Center Engineering Center Engineering RS27A and AJ10118K Engine 8 2 Harlingen, TX 3 Harlingen, TX 3 Harlingen, TX 3 Harlingen, TX Fabrication at Aerojet Rocketdyne Payload Fairing, Payload Payload Fairing, Payload Payload Fairing, Payload Payload Fairing, Payload 1 2 2 Magna, UT Fairing Adapter, Booster 1 Fairing Adapter, Booster 1 Fairing Adapter, Booster 1 Fairing Adapter, Booster 3 Graphite Epoxy Motor Fabrication 1 2 7 2 2 Adapter & Centaur Adapter & Centaur Adapter & Centaur Adapter & Centaur at Northrop Grumman Adapter Fabrication Adapter Fabrication Time Adapter Fabrication Adapter Fabrication 3 Denver, CO 3 Decatur, AL 4 Decatur, AL Event (hr:min:sec) 4 Decatur, AL 4 Decatur, AL 4 ULA Headquarters & 3 Booster Fabrication & Final 4 Booster Fabrication & Final 6 1 RD-180 Engine Ignition -00:00:024 .7 Booster Fabrication & Final 4 Booster Fabrication & Final 5 Design Center Engineering Assembly, Centaur Tank Assembly, Centaur Tank Assembly, Centaur Tank Assembly, Centaur Tank 4 Iuka, MS Liftoff (Thrust to Weight > 1) 00:00:00.0 Fabrication & Centaur Fabrication & Centaur Fabrication & Centaur Fabrication & Centaur Payload Fairing Fabrication at Mach 1 00:00:57.6 Final Assembly Final Assembly Final Assembly Final Assembly Northrop Grumman 4 4 West Palm Beach, FL 5 5 West Palm Beach, FL Maximum Dynamic Pressure 00:01:09.2 5 5 West Palm Beach, FL 5 5 West Palm Beach, FL 5 Decatur, AL 6 5 RL10C1 Engine Fabrication RL10A42 Engine Fabrication 5 6 2 SRB Jettison 00:02:19.8 RL10C1 Engine Fabrication 6 RL10C1 Engine Fabrication Booster, Payload Fairing & 2 3 3 3 at Aerojet Rocketdyne at Aerojet Rocketdyne at Aerojet Rocketdyne at Aerojet Rocketdyne Second Stage Fabrication 3 Atlas Booster Engine Cutoff 00:04:03.4 5 Khimki, Russia 6 Khimki, Russia 6 Khimki, Russia 6 Khimki, Russia 4 Atlas Centaur Separation 00:04:09.4 RD180 Engine Fabrication at RD180 Engine Fabrication at 5 RD180 Engine Fabrication at RD180 Engine Fabrication at NPO Energomash NPO Energomash 5 Centaur First Main Engine Start (MES-1) 00:04:19.4 6 NPO Energomash NPO Energomash SPACE 6 Payload Fairing Jettison 00:04:27.4 4 7 DELTA II VAFB, CA CAPE ATLAS V 401 CAPELAUNCH ATLAS V 411 CAPE7 Centaur ATLAS First Main Engine V 421 Cutoff (MECO-1) 00:12:14.1 CAPE ATLAS V 431 CAPE ATLAS V Starliner COMPLEX-41 8 Centaur Second Main Engine Start (MES-2) 00:42:57.9 ATLAS V 501 ATLAS V 511 ATLAS V 521 ATLAS V 9531Centaur Second Main Engine Cutoff (MECO-2) 00:49:50.8 ATLAS V 541 PROCESSING 1 10-ft Payload 10 Solar OrbiterSolid Separation Rocket 00:52:39.9 Solid Rocket 1 Fairing Interstage Solid Rocket 1 Boosters 1 Solid
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