United Launch Alliance (ULA) executed a smooth late-night launch Thursday, sending a powerful communications satellite into orbit for California-based Viasat aboard one of its final Atlas V rockets. Liftoff occurred at 10:04 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 41, marking another milestone for the workhorse rocket as it heads toward retirement.
Atlas V delivers the power and performance to place the 6-metric-ton ViaSat-3 F2 ultra-high-capacity broadband satellite into orbit. Credit: ULA
The mission, originally scheduled for last week, was delayed after engineers discovered a faulty liquid oxygen tank vent valve on the Atlas booster. ULA rolled the vehicle back to the Vertical Integration Facility — about a third of a mile from the pad — replaced the valve, and returned the rocket to launch position on Nov. 12.
A Heavy Lift for ViaSat-3 F2
The 6-metric-ton ViaSat-3 F2 satellite is destined for geostationary orbit, with spacecraft separation scheduled roughly 3.5 hours after liftoff. The mission is the second satellite in Viasat’s high-capacity ViaSat-3 series, designed to expand the company’s Ka-band broadband coverage across the Americas. Once operational, ViaSat-3 F2 will add over 1 terabit per second of network capacity and is expected to enter service in early 2026 after several months of on-orbit testing at 79° West longitude.
Viasat leaders say the new spacecraft restores momentum after the first ViaSat-3 satellite, launched in 2023, experienced an antenna deployment failure that reduced its performance.
“ViaSat-3 F2’s dynamic beam-forming capabilities will allow us to deliver bandwidth exactly where it’s needed most,” said Mark Dankberg, Viasat’s chairman and CEO. “This mission strengthens our multi-orbit strategy and supports next-generation platforms like Viasat Amara, NexusWave, and our hybrid government SATCOM architecture.”
Atlas V 551: One of the Final Flights
ULA flew the powerful Atlas V 551 variant — the most capable configuration of the family — featuring a 196-foot-tall core, five solid rocket boosters, and a Russian-built RD-180 main engine. Together, they delivered a massive 2.7 million pounds of thrust at liftoff as the rocket thundered eastward over the Atlantic.
The SRBs separated less than two minutes after launch, with payload fairing jettison occurring shortly afterward. The mission requires three burns of the Centaur upper stage’s RL10C-1-1 engine to correctly position the satellite in its geosynchronous transfer orbit. After deploying the spacecraft, Centaur will perform a disposal maneuver, placing itself in a “graveyard” orbit.
This Atlas V, designated AV-100, was the 105th Atlas V flight to date. Only 11 Atlas V rockets remain in ULA’s inventory before the vehicle is fully retired. Those remaining launches are already spoken for:
- 6 for Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner crewed missions
- 5 for Amazon’s Project Kuiper internet constellation
Boeing-Built Satellite Adds Advanced Capabilities
ViaSat-3 F2 is based on Boeing’s 702MP+ bus, an upgraded platform that combines high-efficiency all-electric propulsion with advanced solar arrays supplied by Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab. Boeing is supporting both launch operations and early on-orbit commissioning.
“Our goal is reliability and timely delivery,” said Michelle Parker, Boeing Space Mission Systems vice president. “With ViaSat-3 F2, we’ve harnessed the proven heritage of the 702 platform and advanced power systems to enable high-speed global connectivity.”
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