Launch Services Atlas Launch, by Pat Corkery, courtesy United Launch Alliance. Delta rocket by Pat Corkery, courtesy of Boeing. Military access to Space The reliance on satellite communications by the United States military has led to an increasing demand for bandwidth that is not expected to slow down at any point in the future. This has resulted in a great need for the military's guaranteed access to space. Satellite Evolution takes a closer look at the launch vehicles already used by the US military and the programmes that could usher in a new era in military launch vehicles. The United States military leads the way in terms of satellite communications for their troops. They boast the most sophisticated technological fighting force there is. The outstanding trend within the military satellite communications sector has to be the demand for bandwidth. It is travelling through the ceiling - and to meet this demand, and the applications that are driving it, new satellites will have to be launched on a regular basis. More capacity, more bandwidth, more complex applications. Guaranteed access to space is absolutely crucial. It is all very well to manufacture all-singing, all-dancing satellites but if they do not reach their orbital slot successfully, on time and on budget, there is little point in their manufacture at all. In today's difficult economic climate where the US is fighting an ongoing war in Afghanistan and is still in Iraq, this access must be fast, reliable and also cost-effective. United Launch Alliance The United States military uses the United Launch Alliance for the vast majority of their satellite launches. This joint venture, formed in 2005 by the Boeing Company and Lockheed Martin Corporation brings together two of the launch industry's most experienced and successful launch vehicles ­ the Lockheed Martin Atlas and the 6 w w w.satellite-evolution.com | September 2009 launch.pmd 6 05/10/2009, 12:07