News>Successful Launch of ORS-1 from NASA Wallops Flight Facility
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ORS-1 lifts off from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, June 29. The satellite, launched aboard a Minotaur rocket, was deployed 12 minutes after launch. ORS-1 is the Operationally Responsive Space Office's first operational prototype satellite and represents the potential of low-cost, tactically focused satellites designed to provide critical battlespace awareness capabilities to the joint warfighter. (Photo courtesy of NASA)
The ORS-1 satellite photographed during environmental testing last year at the Goodrich Corporation’s Danbury, Conn., facility. Photo courtesy of Goodrich Corp.
A U.S. Air Force Minotaur 1 rocket carrying the Department of Defense Operationally Responsive Space office’s ORS-1 satellite lifts off at 11:09 p.m. EDT Wednesday from pad 0B at the NASA’s Launch Range at the Wallops Flight Facility and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia. ORS-1, successfully deploying 12 minutes after launch, is the first operational prototype satellite and represents the potential of low-cost, tactically focused satellites designed to provide critical battlespace awareness capabilities to the joint warfighter. (Courtesy photo by NASA/Wallops Flight Facility)
6/30/2011 - LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The U.S. Air Force successfully launched the first Operationally Responsive Space prototype satellite aboard a Minotaur I launch vehicle at 11:09 p.m. EDT, June 29 from Pad 0B at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Va. The ORS-1 satellite deployed 12 minutes after launch.
This marks a great achievement by the Space and Missile Systems Center's Space Development and Test Directorate, the Operationally Responsive Space Office and their contractor teams. ORS-1 is the Operationally Responsive Space Office's first operational prototype satellite and represents the potential of low-cost, tactically focused satellites designed to provide critical battlespace awareness capabilities to the joint warfighter.
"Words cannot express how proud I am of the entire ORS-1 team," said Col. Carol Welsch, SMC/SD acting director and ORS-1 mission director. "The men and women of the Space Development and Test Directorate, the Operationally Responsive Space Office, and our industry partners of Goodrich, ATK, and Orbital have all worked tirelessly to move forward on the concept of a responsive space capability designed to support the warfighter. Their teamwork and dedication is simply inspiring."
Rapidly developing and fielding ORS-1 is an important step to demonstrating the possibilities to meet emerging and persistent warfighter needs in operationally relevant timelines. "Our team was able to develop, integrate, test and launch this system in just over 30 months which is a remarkable achievement," said Col. Welsch
ORS-1 was initiated as a result of a requirement from the commander, U.S. Strategic Command to the ORS Office to support U.S. Central Command.
Media representatives can submit questions for response or requests for interviews regarding this topic by sending an e-mail to smcpa.media@losangeles.af.mil
