US space force succeeds in launching its first satellite

The US Space Force USSF, the sixth military species launched by the United States in accordance with the establishment of the Defense Authority Act in 2020, unveiled AHEF (Advanced Extremely High Frequency), a military communications satellite, as its first national security mission. Until now, the plan was announced, the budget was secured, and the logo was released, but this new military class was on its first specific mission.

Launched using the Atlas V rocket, the AEHF-6 is a next-generation military communications satellite that replaces the Milstar military satellite launched in the 1990s. Through its website, Lockheed Martin explains that it provides high-reliability and safety communications between strategic commands and soldiers operating in land, sea, and air.

The AEHF-6 provides five times the communication speed of Millistar, which is located in orbit at an altitude of 35,000 km, to each ground soldier. This system uses not only the United States, but also allies such as the United Kingdom, Canada and the Netherlands. It is the first launch of the space force, but so far five AEHF satellites have been launched by the US Air Force, and this time the space force has launched it.

However, it was scheduled to launch at 4 o’clock on March 27, but the countdown stopped. It is said that it went smoothly after the launch. ULA in charge of the launch also revealed that the AEHF-6 satellite was successfully separated from the rocket.