Secret Satellite Ready for Global Observation

8 Sep 2023 5:57 am GMT+0000 Date Time

Atlas V Rocket Set to Launch Secret Cargo for Silent Barker Mission
United Launch Alliance (ULA) has successfully transported the Atlas V missile to Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The rocket is carrying multiple secret cargoes for the Silent Barker mission, a joint project between the US Air Force and the National Intelligence Administration. The launch is scheduled for Saturday, September 9, at 8:51 PM Eastern Daytime (1251 GMT). The live broadcast will be available on the Space.com website via ULA resources. This is the second time the missile has been transported to the launch site for the Silent Barker mission. Originally, the Atlas V was delivered on August 25, with the planned launch set for August 29. However, due to the aftermath of the Idalia tropical storm, the launch had to be cancelled. To protect the rocket and its secret cargo from the elements, ULA returned the Atlas V to its vertical integration structure at Cape Canaveral on August 28. The Silent Barker mission aims to deploy multiple satellites that will monitor activity in geosynchronous orbit, approximately 22,200 miles (35,700 kilometers) above the Earth’s surface. Satellites in this orbit rotate around the Earth at the same speed as the planet, effectively “hanging” above the same point. The exact number and specific functions of the satellites to be launched by Silent Barker remain classified. However, one of the mission’s objectives is to “contain aggression,” according to representatives from the Air Force. Lieutenant General Michael Getleyin emphasized the significance of this mission, stating, “The enemy’s ability to know what we see and what we don’t see is a critical deterrent factor.” He also expressed the desire for competitors to be aware of the “watchful eye” in geosynchronous orbit.

Atlas V Rocket Set to Launch Secret Cargo for Silent Barker Mission

United Launch Alliance (ULA) has successfully transported the Atlas V missile to Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The rocket is carrying multiple secret cargoes for the Silent Barker mission, a joint project between the US Air Force and the National Intelligence Administration.

The launch is scheduled for Saturday, September 9, at 8:51 PM Eastern Daytime (1251 GMT). The live broadcast will be available on the Space.com website via ULA resources.

This is the second time the missile has been transported to the launch site for the Silent Barker mission. Originally, the Atlas V was delivered on August 25, with the planned launch set for August 29. However, due to the aftermath of the Idalia tropical storm, the launch had to be cancelled. To protect the rocket and its secret cargo from the elements, ULA returned the Atlas V to its vertical integration structure at Cape Canaveral on August 28.

The Silent Barker mission aims to deploy multiple satellites that will monitor activity in geosynchronous orbit, approximately 22,200 miles (35,700 kilometers) above the Earth’s surface. Satellites in this orbit rotate around the Earth at the same speed as the planet, effectively “hanging” above the same point.

The exact number and specific functions of the satellites to be launched by Silent Barker remain classified. However, one of the mission’s objectives is to “contain aggression,” according to representatives from the Air Force. Lieutenant General Michael Getleyin emphasized the significance of this mission, stating, “The enemy’s ability to know what we see and what we don’t see is a critical deterrent factor.” He also expressed the desire for competitors to be aware of the “watchful eye” in geosynchronous orbit.

/Reports, release notes, official announcements.