USA-273

USA-273
Mission type Infrared early warning
IRINT
Operator United States Air Force
COSPAR ID 2017-004A
SATCAT no. 41937Edit this on Wikidata
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type SBIRS-GEO
Bus A2100M
Start of mission
Launch date 21 January 2017, 00:42 (2017-01-21UTC00:42Z) UTC[1]
Rocket Atlas V 401 AV-066[1]
Launch site Cape Canaveral SLC-41
Contractor ULA
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime GEO

USA-273, also known as SBIRS-GEO 3, is an American military satellite and part of the Space-Based Infrared System. It was launched on January 21, 2017 from Cape Canaveral, atop an Atlas V rocket.

Overview

The SBIRS satellites are a replacement for the Defense Support Program early warning system. They are intended to detect ballistic missile launches, as well as various other events in the infrared spectrum, including nuclear explosions, aircraft flights, space object entries and reentries, wildfires and spacecraft launches.

SBIRS-GEO 3 was manufactured by Lockheed Martin and is built upon the A2100M satellite bus.

References

  1. 1 2 Ray, Justin (21 January 2017). "Atlas 5 rocket successfully delivers vital national asset into space". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
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