Question 1

What rocket is launching SBIRS GEO-5?

Accepted Answer

SBIRS GEO-5 is launching on the Atlas V 421.

Question 2

Who is launching SBIRS GEO-5?

Accepted Answer

SBIRS GEO-5 is being launched by United Launch Alliance, a commercial launch provider founded in 2006.

Question 3

Where is SBIRS GEO-5 launching from?

Accepted Answer

SBIRS GEO-5 is launching from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA.

Question 4

What orbit is SBIRS GEO-5 heading to?

Accepted Answer

SBIRS GEO-5 is heading to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).

Question 5

Is the Atlas V 421 reusable?

Accepted Answer

No — the Atlas V 421 is an expendable launch vehicle.

Question 6

How many times has the Atlas V 421 flown?

Accepted Answer

The Atlas V 421 has launched 9 times to date, with 9 successful flights.

Question 7

What is the SBIRS GEO-5 mission?

Accepted Answer

Fifth geosynchronous satellite of the Space Based Infrared System program (SBIRS), providing capabilities for early missile warning and missile defense. SBIRS GEO-5 is the first satellite using Lockheed Martin's LM2100 combat bus.

Question 8

Where is Cape Canaveral Space Force Station?

Accepted Answer

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station sits on Florida's Atlantic coast, on the Eastern Range run by the U.S. Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45. It is the United States' busiest launch site and has been America's gateway to orbit since the 1950s.

Question 9

Which rockets launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

SpaceX flies Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40, and United Launch Alliance flies the Vulcan Centaur (and the retiring Atlas V) from Space Launch Complex 41.

Question 10

Is Cape Canaveral the same as the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

No. Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center are separate, neighbouring sites — Kennedy is on Merritt Island just to the north. Together they make up Florida's 'Space Coast'.

Question 11

Why do rockets launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

Its pads sit on the Eastern Range, letting rockets fly east out over the Atlantic toward the equatorial and geostationary orbits most commercial and national-security payloads need, away from populated land.

Question 12

Can you watch a launch from Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the Space Coast is one of the easiest places in the world to watch a launch from public land. Popular free spots include Playalinda Beach, Space View Park in Titusville, and Jetty Park at Port Canaveral.

SBIRS GEO-5

Overview

Mission details

Launch Window

Space Launch Complex 41

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Frequently asked questions