Yesterday at 7:28 pm, the U.S. Air Force Space Command successfully launched the AFSPC-4 mission, carried by the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV rocket. The payload included two Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) spacecraft and an Automated Navigation and Guidance Experiment for Local Space (ANGELS) satellite. All three are used as part of various surveillance programs.

“The ULA team is proud to have delivered the twin GSSAP spacecraft to orbit today,” said Jim Sponnick, ULA vice president, Atlas and Delta Programs. “We are privileged to work with a top notch U.S. government and contractor mission team that is committed to mission success.”

According to the Air Force, the GSSAP satellites will provide U.S. Strategic Command with space situational awareness data allowing for more accurate tracking and characterization of man-made orbiting objects.

The ANGELS, on the other hand, will perform similar surveillance duties while also “performing safe, automated spacecraft operations to support and enhance future U.S. missions.”

“These experiments will enable future satellite systems to achieve a more rapid and improved space situational awareness capability with fewer operators while maintaining safety as the top priority,” said Air Force Research Laboratory commander Maj. Gen. Thomas Masiello.

Though the missions and objectives for the two craft are distinct, they both contribute to the Air Force’s overall plan to improve situational awareness in space. The GSSAP craft will track man-made objects from outsiders; ANGELS will keep tabs on the U.S.’ own space assets.