Recent ULA videos including latest X-37B launch and short Atlas history

[Winston]

In the segment covering past launches, what looks like actual footage of the X-37B separating from the upper stage is shown starting at 11:48:

Atlas V USSF-7 - X-37B launch



Atlas History - nice ULA Promo with tons of historic and modern Atlas launch footage

 

[Mugs914]

Anyone have any idea why the Certaur second stage is contained within the payload fairing? Centaurs have been flying nekkid for decades.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

Anyone have any idea why the Certaur second stage is contained within the payload fairing? Centaurs have been flying nekkid for decades.

I wondered that too. Perhaps they didn't want to paint it.

 

[Peartree]

Anyone have any idea why the Certaur second stage is contained within the payload fairing? Centaurs have been flying nekkid for decades.

Because there's something there that the Air Force doesn't want you to see?

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

I thought it was funny that they said it is a secret mission but it says on the Wikipedia what the missions are.

 

[Winston]

Sunday’s launch of a secret space plane produced some eye-catching images
We may not see the X-37B in space, but we can still enjoy its Earth departure.
5/18/2020

https://arstechnica.com/science/202...-images-from-sundays-launch-of-a-space-plane/
Actually, this is the only one I found to be exceptional:

 

[Reinhard]

Anyone have any idea why the Certaur second stage is contained within the payload fairing? Centaurs have been flying nekkid for decades.

A bit late for a response, but anyway:
The 4.2m fairing sits on top of the Centaur, but the 5.4m fairing encloses it. The Centaur is a rather fragile thing and the loads of the bigger configuration would be too much for it, if the fairing sat on top of it. By enclosing the Centaur completely, the loads from the fairing bypass the Centaur and are transferred directly into the first stage.
On the 5.4m configuration, there are also things called either "Centaur Forward Load Adapters" or "Centaur Forward Load Reactors", which are basically a centering split in half that connects the Centaur with the Fairing. Those are jettisoned together with the fairing.

Edit: Forgot to add this cutaway drawing from ULA
https://www.ulalaunch.com/docs/default-source/rockets/atlasv-cutaway.pdf?sfvrsn=3bf92929_4
Reinhard

 

[Mugs914]

A bit late for a response, but anyway:
The 4.2m fairing sits on top of the Centaur, but the 5.4m fairing encloses it. The Centaur is a rather fragile thing and the loads of the bigger configuration would be too much for it, if the fairing sat on top of it. By enclosing the Centaur completely, the loads from the fairing bypass the Centaur and are transferred directly into the first stage.
On the 5.4m configuration, there are also things called either "Centaur Forward Load Adapters" or "Centaur Forward Load Reactors", which are basically a centering split in half that connects the Centaur with the Fairing. Those are jettisoned together with the fairing.

Reinhard

That is fantastic info Reinhard, thank you very much! I didn't realize the Centaur load-limited in that way.

Thanks again!

Mike