Vandenberg is scheduled to launch a Boeing Delta II rocket carrying the Thales Alenia-Space COSMO-SkyMed Satellite, Thursday at 7:21 p.m. from Space Launch Complex-2 on north Vandenberg. The launch has a 13-minute window of opportunity. Col. Stephen Tanous, 30th Space Wing commander, will be the spacelift commander for this mission. The Delta II will be launched in the 7420-10 configuration.
This will be the first of two COSMO-SkyMed satellite launches from Vandenberg this year. The satellite is an end-to-end Earth observation dual-use (civilian and military) system composed of four satellites and ground stations.
Previously, Boeing Launch Services Director Ken Heinly said, "Boeing Launch Services is honored to support these missions for Alcatel Alenia Space, the European leader in satellite-based solutions. The COSMO/SkyMed system is a critical mission for Italian science, commerce and security, and the Delta II was selected for its reliability, timeliness and affordability."
The Delta 7420-10 configuration is approximately 126 feet tall and eight feet wide. It features a first stage and four strap-on solid propellant rocket motors, an interstage and a second stage.
The first stage RS-27A main engine is manufactured by Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne, Canoga Park, Calif. The solid strap-on motors are provided by Alliant Techsystems, Minneapolis, Minn. The main engine and the four solid rocket motors deliver a total thrust of 485,000 pounds at liftoff.
An AJ10-118K engine, built by Aerojet, Sacramento, Calif., powers the second stage. Ignited at altitude, the engine has a vacuum-rated thrust of about 9,800 pounds.
