1994-029A
STEP Mission 2 (STP P91-2) was launched by a Pegasus from the Point Arguello Warning Area over the Western Test Range. The B-52 air-launched the Pegasus after takeoff from Edwards AFB. The Pegasus had a fourth hydrazine stage, the HAPS, and was intended to place STEP 2 into an 830 km polar orbit; the orbit achieved was only 603 x 821 km. The HAPS stage shut down early due to a software error.
STEP 2's main payload was SIDEX, the USAF Rome Lab signal identification experiment, intended to pick out specific signals from regions of high communications background. The 180 kg satellite was a TRW/DSI Eagle class lightsat.
| STEP 2 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 May 19 | 1549 | NB-52 takeoff from EAFB RW04/22 | |
| 1703 | NB-52 drop Pegasus over PAWA | ||
| 1703 | Pegasus stage 1 burn | ||
| Pegasus stage 2 burn | |||
| 1707 | Pegasus stage 3 burn (4:54) | ||
| 1712 | Pegasus stage 3 cutoff | -880? x 821 x 82.0 | |
| 1725 | HAPS single burn (underburn?) | ||
| 1729 | HAPS MECO, apogee | ||
| 1730? | HAPS sep from STEP M2 | ||
| 1732 | HAPS coll. avoid burn | ||
| 603 x 821 x 81.95 | |||
| 1751? | Stage 3 reentry over SW Indian Ocean | ||
| 1995 | Still ok | ||
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