Navy looks for Plan B to salvage its newest communications satellite

The U.S. Navy has declared the primary orbit-raising system aboard its new MUOS No. 5 communications satellite failed, leaving controllers scrambling to design a rescue plan. The final Mobile User Objective System satellite was launched into a geosynchronous transfer orbit on June 24 by a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral. The Lockheed Martin-built spacecraft was supposed to perform 7 burns of its main engine to raise and circularize the orbit to geosynchronous altitude 22,300 miles over the equator in view of Hawaii. After completing an unspecified number of maneuvers, an “anomaly” struck June 29 that has rendered the main propulsion system failed. More

(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Aug 3)