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On October 2, 2015, United Launch Alliance (ULA) launched Mexico’s Morelos-3 communications satellite aboard an Atlas V 421 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It was ULA’s 100th successful mission since the company formed in 2006—not the Atlas V’s 100th flight. The Atlas V had flown 57 times at that point.
What launched on October 2, 2015?
Morelos-3, a communications satellite in Mexico’s Mexsat constellation, rode an Atlas V 421 from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. ULA reported liftoff at 6:28 a.m. EDT; Mexico’s communications ministry reported 05:28 Mexico City time.
ULA vice president Jim Sponnick marked the company milestone: “Today was an especially proud day for our team as we launched our 100th successful one-at-a-time mission since ULA was formed in 2006.” The count described ULA missions, not Atlas V launches.
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Why was Morelos-3 important to Mexico?
Mexico planned to use Morelos-3 for mobile satellite communications across the country. The ministry described links for people and for land, sea, and air transport. ULA’s pre-launch description also included secure communications for national security and services for rural communities, such as education and health programs, along with voice, data, video, and internet.
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In its October 2, 2015 account, Mexico’s communications ministry gave the satellite a mass of 5.3 tonnes and an expected service life of 15 years. Those were launch-era specifications and expectations; they do not establish the satellite’s present operating status.
What rocket configuration did ULA use?
The Atlas V 421 was configured with a four-meter payload fairing and two solid rocket motors attached to the Atlas booster. ULA said the booster was powered by an RD AMROSS RD-180 engine, while the Centaur upper stage used an Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C-1 engine.
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ULA described the launch as the fifth flight of the 421 configuration. It was the 57th Atlas V launch since the rocket’s first flight in 2002. The launch had been moved earlier on the Atlas manifest through an agreement with the U.S. Air Force, using a slot previously assigned to a Global Positioning System satellite.
What was the planned route to orbit?
On launch day, Mexico’s ministry projected satellite separation 2 hours and 51 minutes after liftoff at an altitude of 4,790 kilometers. It then expected Morelos-3 to take 13 days to reach its final orbital position on October 15, with service to begin after system testing. These were the ministry’s schedule and projections at the time, not a current status report.
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How the 100th-mission milestone differs from the Atlas V count
| Milestone | What it counted |
|---|---|
| ULA’s 100th successful mission | ULA’s company-wide, one-at-a-time mission milestone since its formation in 2006, as reported by ULA in 2015. |
| Atlas V’s 57th launch | Flights of the Atlas V vehicle since its first launch in 2002, as reported by ULA in 2015. |
| Atlas V 421’s fifth flight | Flights of that specific Atlas V configuration, as reported by ULA in 2015. |
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