U.S. Air Force's third AEHF satellite encapsulated for launch

The U.S. Air Force's third Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite, built to connect military commanders and government leadership in the event of a nuclear catastrophe, is poised to blast off Sept. 18 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket.

Built by Lockheed Martin Corp., the 13,600-pound satellite was encapsulated inside the Atlas 5's five-meter-diameter payload fairing inside the Astrotech processing facility near the launch site, then transported to Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for attachment to the launch vehicle.

See our Mission Status Center for the latest news on the mission.

Credit: Lockheed Martin Corp.