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News | July 1, 2016

Aerospace Energy contributes to Atlas V launch

By DLA Energy Public Affairs

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Florida – Defense Logistics Agency Aerospace Energy personnel partnered with the Navy, Air Force and other organizations to provide the way for the 20-story tall Atlas V rocket launch at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, June 24.

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket deployed the Navy’s Mobile User Objective System-5 satellite. MUOS-5 is the last in a five-satellite constellation that will provide military forces with improved and assured communications worldwide. The communications coverage for military forces now extends further toward the North and South poles than ever before.

“[It was] another successful launch supported by Aerospace Energy over just the past few weeks,” said Douglas Smith, Aerospace Energy director. “Providing support to a launch that establishes a communication network for the military is a major [accomplishment,] so we all feel proud in the support we provided both to the rocket that launched the satellite, as well as to the satellite itself, which will position itself via Aerospace Energy provided products.”

Military communications are of utmost importance, and this satellite will provide improved support to the warfighter, he said.

The engine powering the Atlas booster for this mission burned rocket propellant-1 or highly purified kerosene and liquid oxygen, both products supported to the U.S. military and commercial space companies from the DLA Energy Aerospace office in San Antonio.

Once in orbit, the payload then depends on high purity hydrazine and dinitrogen tetroxide to maneuver and control the payloads, two more additional Aerospace Energy-managed products supporting the military and those commercial space launch companies covered by the Commercial Space Launch Act.

DLA Energy has long term contracts in place to support both the RP-1, used on the Atlas V Rocket, as well as for the high purity hydrazine and dinitrogen tetroxide, on the satellite. Containers, transportation, storage, inventory management, contract administration all of which are managed out of our San Antonio office.

“Logistical support to the military is why we are here, and my staff does an amazing job, continuing to support the warfighter,” Smith said.

This launch is the second national security payload from Cape Canaveral in just two weeks with the previous Delta IV launch, the world’s most powerful rocket, also being supported by DLA Energy Aerospace products.