Newly launched MUOS satellite responding to commands

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Jan. 21 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy's third Mobile User Objective System satellite for enhanced, secure communications is responding to commands following its launch Tuesday.

Lockheed Martin, which built the satellite, said its initiating team is operating the craft from a Navy base in California as it transitions into a geosynchronous orbit location 22,000 miles above the Earth over the coming days.

"Thanks to the Atlas team for the safe delivery of MUOS-3 into our Geosynchronous Transfer orbit," said Iris Bombelyn, vice president of Narrowband Communications at Lockheed Martin. "We look forward to completing our on-orbit health checks and delivering this important asset to the U.S. Navy.

"The addition of this satellite will give the MUOS constellation coverage over more than three-quarters of the globe, further extending the reach of the advanced communications capabilities MUOS will provide our mobile warfighters."

The satellite was launched Tuesday night from Cape Canaveral, Fla., aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Its solar arrays and antennas will be deployed when it's in orbit and will be turned over to Navy command.

Lockheed Martin said the MUOS satellite constellation operates like a smart phone network for enhanced secure mobile satellite communications for warfighters on the move. It provides on-demand, beyond-line-of-sight capability to transmit and receive high-quality voice and mission data on an Internet Protocol-based system.