Atlas V lights up Southwest Florida skies again

Lift-off from Cape Canaveral AFS of the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 is planned for 6:08 a.m. EDT – the opening of a 20 minute launch window – on October 2.

The company will continue launching satellites for the Air Force in fiscal 2016 using its Delta IV and Atlas V rockets.

Morelos-3 is part of the Mexsat constellation of satellites, which provide secure communications for Mexico’s national security needs and communications to rural zones to complement other existing networks. The first satellite to reach orbit was Bicentenario, which was launched in 2012 and so named to commemorate the bicentennial of Mexican Independence. All Atlas V launches requiring extra boost performance have flown Aerojet Rocketdyne-produced SRBs. Its main products include launch vehicles and related propulsion systems; missile products, subsystems and defense electronics; precision weapons, armament systems and ammunition; satellites and associated space components and services; and advanced aerospace structures.

NewChannel 5 received dozens of pictures from viewers who spotted the glowing light and trails as the rocket headed into space.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket that launched to space from Florida this morning left behind a spectacular show for people lucky enough to watch it back on Earth. “I am very proud of our team and their support of ULA’s historic record number of launches since 2006”. “It’s a long flight, so we still need to wait until the end”.

So far, SpaceX is the only company besides ULA certified to fly military missions.

ULA and Air Force officials had urged lawmakers to relax a ban on use of the engines imposed past year after Russian Federation annexed the Crimea region of Ukraine, to bridge the time until ULA is ready to start flying its new US-powered Vulcan rocket.