Hi everybody and welcome back to another episode of the Elon Musk podcast where we talk about all things technology innovation. And of course, today we're going to be talking about space travel. Today we have a lot to discuss, particularly the United Launch Alliances. ULA's second launch of the year, an Atlas 5 rocket mission for the National Reconnaissance Office in the Space Force.
Called Silent Barker NROL 107, this mission aims to deploy watchdog satellites to geostationary Earth orbit, which will help us keep tabs on the activities of other countries in this orbital regime. Now, ULA's activities have been fairly low key in comparison to SpaceX, which has conducted 63 orbital missions so far this year.
But don't let that overshadow the significance of the Analyst 5 launch, one that had the rocket in its most powerful configuration, with five solid rocket boosters in the goal to improve America's monitoring abilities in the geostationary belts, where many of our vital communications and observation satellites operate. It's more than just a rocket going up. It's about national security in the future of space reconnaissance if we backtrack a
little bit. ULA's only other launch this year was a D4 heavy back in June. SpaceX, on the other hand, has been on A roll, managing to accomplish 63 orbital missions across all of its launch complexes, including California. Now, the sheer number of SpaceX missions has resulted in ULA falling into the background, but that doesn't negate the importance of these efforts.
The Atlas Fives launch marks the 48th launch of the year from the Space Coast, with only three missions not coming from SpaceX. One came from Relativity Space launching its 3D printed Terran One rocket in March. But still more than three months to go in the year, the Space Coast is looking good to be its 2022 record of 57 launches. It's not just about quantity. The quality and strategic significance of these launches
are also noteworthy. Silent Barker's mission is a classified 1 involving multiple payloads designed to be placed in geostationary Earth orbit. Now Chris Skoleze, director of the National Reconnaissance Office of the NRO, explained that the set lights will allow for enhanced understanding of activities happening in the orbital belt. Monitoring geostationary orbit is critical as it offers a unique viewpoint for observing earthbound activities and other
set lights. And in terms of power, the five boosters of the Atlas 5 generated remarkable £2.1 million of thrust on liftoff, and these burn for around 90 seconds before separating from the first stage, which continued its upward trajectory. The Rocket Centaur upward stage, powered by a version of the Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10 engine, will ferry its national security payloads approximately 24,000 miles away from their destination. Now it's worth mentioning that this isn't Atlas Five's first
rodeo. This is the 13th time that it's flown with five boosters since its debut in 2006. Past missions have included NASA's Juneau and New Horizons missions, showcasing the Rockets versatility and its reliability. Additionally, ULA only has one D4 heavy and 18 more Atlas 5 rockets left this lineup, with 7 earmarked for Boeing CST100 Starliner, 9 for Amazon's Project Viper satellite
constellation, and two others. Now ULA does have plans to transition to its new Vulcan Centaur rockets, but there have been delays. Despite these challenges, the next launch is set for as early as September 26th, and it's an important one. The first of Amazon's 9 Atlas 5 missions that will send test satellites into orbit. These launches will pave the way for multiple Vulcan missions as well as launches of Aryan Spaces upcoming Ariana 6 and Blue
Origin still in development? New Glen rockets. However, things haven't been all smooth sailing for SpaceX either. The FAA has raised safety concerns regarding Spacex's super heavy Starship launch vehicle. As a result, SpaceX needs to complete 63 corrective actions before another test flight is authorized. These include hardware redesigns, launchpad reinforcements, and enhanced safety protocols. It's another hurdle that SpaceX has to overcome, but it's crucial for ensuring the safety
and success of future missions. SpaceX has been making headlines for its frequent and successful launches. It is also encountered some regulatory turbulence, particularly from the FAA. Now, the FAA cited safety concerns regarding Spacex's Starship, and according to the agency, SpaceX needs to correct and complete 63 actions before they can launch the Starship again.
These corrective actions encompass a wide range of elements, including hardware redesigns, launchpad reinforcements, and bolstered safety protocols. And the FA A's involvement isn't surprising given its mandate to regulate all aspects of Civil Aviation, including commercial space launches. Miss Spacex's Super Heavy Starship is designed to be a reusable orbital class rocket, making it the most powerful rocket ever developed. Safety considerations are paramount now.
The FA A's role here is to ensure that the rocket design, build quality and operational protocols meet rigorous standards to protect both the crew and the public, and this regulatory hurdle has implications for Spacex's
broader ambitions. The Starship super heavy is crucial to the company's plans for interplanetary travel, including missions to Mars and delays in its development and testing timeline never ripple effect, potentially slowing down a variety of planned missions such as the Artemis 3 mission and Artemis 4, and also commercial partnerships.
Now these could range from lunar landings with Artemis even more futuristic endeavors like establishing a human presence on Mars. However, this isn't necessary a roadblock that could derail Spacex's overall trajectory. Company has a track record of effectively responding to an overcoming regulatory challenges. Completing the 63 corrective actions is a tall order, but one within the realms of feasibility for SpaceX.
What this scenario emphasizes is the balance that needs to be struck between innovation and safety, especially as a commercial space travel becomes more central to our future in space exploration. Now before we wrap things up, let's touch on the geopolitical aspects of these launches. Countries like Russia and China have been ramping up their space capabilities, including potential anti satellite weaponry. Now this has an extra layer of importance to the Silent Barker mission.
The satellites are expected to monitor any abnormal or potentially threatening activities in the geostationary orbit providing both defensive and deterrent capabilities. Now. Thank you so much for listening to the show today. We've covered a lot today, but this is just a glimpse into the complex and competitive arena that's the modern space exploration and security realm.
Now, as the year unfolds, it'll be fascinating to see how ULA and SpaceX continue to shape the future of space technology and National Defense. Now don't forget to hit the subscribe or the follow button on whatever podcast platform you're listening on right now. It's free and it takes a second, and it helps us out tremendously. And until next time, please keep looking up, take care of yourselves and each other, and I'll see you in the next one.