Atlas V (551) | STP-3 (Auto Orbit)

Craft celebrating the launch of the 90th Atlas V flight carrying the US Space Force's STP-3 mission into Geosynchronous orbit

Mission - STP-3 :

The primary payload is STP Satellite (STPSat)-6 which is designed for a total lifetime of eight years and will carry nine experiments on board. The satellite will be placed into a geosynchronous orbit, a high orbit which allows the satellite to revolve around the Earth the same speed the Earth rotates. This keeps the satellite above a singular point on Earth.

STPSat-6 will have 9 payloads onboard which include the Space and Atmospheric Burst Reporting System 3 (SABRS-3), the Laser Communication Relay Demonstration (LCRD), and many other payloads selected through the Department of Defense Space Experiments Review Board (SERB).

Where is the satellite going? :

Parking Orbit:

(> 300 x 250 km)

Satellites operational Orbit:

Geosynchronous Orbit
[8863 x 8863 km in Droo Orbit]

Rocket: Atlas V (551) :

The Atlas V is an expendable medium lift launch system and member of the Atlas rocket family. The rocket has two stages. The first is a Common Core Booster (CCB), which is powered by a single RD-180 engine that burns kerosene (RP-1) and liquid oxygen (LOx). This is accompanied by up to five strap-on solid rocket boosters. The second stage is the Centaur upper stage, which is powered by one or two RL10 engines and burns liquid hydrogen (LH2) and liquid oxygen (LOx).

What does 551 mean?

Atlas V rockets have a three number configuration code. The first number represents the fairing diameter size in meters The second number denotes the number of solid rocket motors (SRMs), which attach to the base of the rocket. The number of SRMs for a 4 meter fairing can range from 0 – 3. However, the 5 meter fairing Atlas V can support up to 5 SRMs, due to the different aerodynamic properties of the fairing. The third number shows the number of engines on the Centaur Upper Stage.

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Craft Notes:

1. Auto-Launch to Orbit by Preprogrammed Vizzy. (Throttle 100%)
2. Multiple Pad and Rocket Camera setups
3. Preprogrammed Vizzy for Launch and circulation phases (>250 x 250 km orbit)

*Fairing Deploy to be done after 100 km AGL (manuallly)
*FInal orbit insertion (GEO) and payload deploy to be done manually

**Note: A roll is programmed into the vizzy from T+51 to T+71s to allow for norminal orientation for Fairing Separation

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Credits:

Predecessor Craft by Natedoge - Atlas V 551 1:1 Real Scale
Vizzy by: KAL

Modifications to Rocket, Space-craft and Vizzy by OrbiteX