US reconnaissance payload launched
The United Launch Alliance (ULA) launched an Atlas V rocket with a payload for the US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) on 8 October.
The designated NROL-55 mission package will serve national defence purposes. The payload included 13 Government Rideshare Advanced Concepts Experiment (GRACE) CubeSats - four NASA-sponsored and nine NRO sponsored.
The CubeSats weigh 1-5 kilograms each. They have been developed as a cost-effective alternative to typical satellite payload solutions.
Jim Sponnick, vice president, Atlas and Delta programs, ULA, said: 'The GRACE CubeSats will perform missions demonstrating tracking technologies, software-defined radio communications and will also conduct other measurements and experiments. We are happy that ULA could play a part in bringing these nano-satellites to orbit along with the NRO payload through a cost-effective rideshare.'
The CubeSats were developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, AMSAT, Salish Kootenai College, the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, SRI International, Tyvak, Aerospace Corporation and the US Army's Space and Missile Defense Center.
You may also like
More from Digital Battlespace
-
![Intelligence advantage: How real-time GEOINT is reshaping military decision-making]()
Intelligence advantage: How real-time GEOINT is reshaping military decision-making
In today’s contested operational environment, adaptability is key. The new Geospatial-Intelligence as a Service (GEO IaaS) solution from Fujitsu and MAIAR empowers militaries by enabling intelligence advantage, combining advanced technology with human expertise to deliver actionable insights.
-
![Israel sets up new department to boost development of AI and autonomy]()
Israel sets up new department to boost development of AI and autonomy
Israel will continue to develop autonomy for its weapons and platforms as it brings together defence personnel, academia and industry.
-
![Clavister contracted to supply cyber protection for CV90s]()
Clavister contracted to supply cyber protection for CV90s
Clavister CyberArmour, an integrated defence cybersecurity system, will be used on BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 platform in deployments with a Scandinavian country, as well as in an eastern European nation.
-
![Lockheed Martin completes tactical satellite demonstration and prepares for launch]()
Lockheed Martin completes tactical satellite demonstration and prepares for launch
The tactical satellite (TacSat) is an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) system and will participate in exercises in 2025.
-
![AUSA 2024: General Micro Systems adds four new products to the X9 Spider family]()
AUSA 2024: General Micro Systems adds four new products to the X9 Spider family
The airborne three-domain, the two ground-based and the ¼ ATR OpenVPX-based cross-domain systems were engineered to provide real-time security across multi-domain operations.
