Question 1

What rocket is launching WGS-5 (USA-243)?

Accepted Answer

WGS-5 (USA-243) is launching on the Delta IV M+(5,4).

Question 2

Who is launching WGS-5 (USA-243)?

Accepted Answer

WGS-5 (USA-243) is being launched by United Launch Alliance, a commercial launch provider founded in 2006.

Question 3

Where is WGS-5 (USA-243) launching from?

Accepted Answer

WGS-5 (USA-243) is launching from Space Launch Complex 37B at Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA.

Question 4

What orbit is WGS-5 (USA-243) heading to?

Accepted Answer

WGS-5 (USA-243) is heading to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).

Question 5

Is the Delta IV M+(5,4) reusable?

Accepted Answer

No — the Delta IV M+(5,4) is an expendable launch vehicle.

Question 6

How many times has the Delta IV M+(5,4) flown?

Accepted Answer

The Delta IV M+(5,4) has launched 8 times to date, with 8 successful flights.

Question 7

What is the WGS-5 (USA-243) mission?

Accepted Answer

WGS-5 is the fifth of 10 high-capacity military communications satellites providing vital service for tactical forces who rely on WGS for connectivity to the Defence Information Systems Network (DISN).

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.

WGS-5 (USA-243)

Overview

Mission details

Launch Window

Space Launch Complex 37B

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Frequently asked questions