Navy’s new MUOS 5 communications satellite experiences snag in space

Trouble has befallen the U.S. Navy’s new communications satellite that was launched from Cape Canaveral two weeks ago, suspending orbit raising maneuvers and leaving the craft half-way between its rocket deployment orbit and a circular geosynchronous orbit. The $340 million Mobile User Objective System satellite No. 5, the last in the planned spacecraft series and the in-orbit spare for Navy’s constellation, was successfully lofted into space June 24 by the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket. MUOS 5 is designed to provide Ultra High Frequency communications to the U.S. military for the next 15 years over an area that extends from Africa to the Middle East to Asia. More

(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Jul 8)