Team helps put tactical satellite in orbit

  • Published
LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) --  Air Force officials helped launch an Air Force Minotaur I rocket launches into orbirt carrying the Air Force Research Laboratory's TacSat-3 satellite, NASA's PharmaSat microsatellite and NASA's CubeSat Technology Demonstration at 7:55 p.m. EDT May 19 from Wallops Flight Facility, Va.

This mission marked the third launch of a Minotaur I launch vehicle from NASA Wallops and the eighth Minotaur I mission.

Launch officials declared the launch event successful after confirming spacecraft fairing and payload separation, and on-orbit insertion.

"I am extremely pleased with the performance of the launch and ops team this evening," said Col. Scott Handy, the mission director. All of the important events during the boost phase of the launch occurred as planned, up to and including fairing separation and on-orbit insertion.

TacSat-3 is the first mission whose payload selection process was based on recommendations from combatant commanders around the world. As the primary funding agent for TacSat-3, the Operationally Responsive Space Office staff is responsible for facilitating the transition of the TacSat-3 technology to operational capabilities.

"ORS will be assessing the sensor's military utility to determine the operational utility of this type of sensor and the low cost spacecraft itself. Once this experiment is complete, that assessment will help transition this rapid imagery to the warfighter," said Dr. Peter Wegner, the Operationally Responsive Space Office director. "We look forward to a continued fruitful partnership with the Operationally Responsive Space office and the Air Force Research Laboratory as we develop these capabilities to make access to space faster, cheaper and more responsive to our service men and women around the world."

"I believe we have shown the ability of Air Force Space Command and Air Force Materiel Command to provide the necessary components, personnel and expertise to make operationally responsive space a reality," Colonel Handy said.