1998-055A
The NRO's STEX Space Technology Experiment, built by LMA/Denver, is a satellite to test a space tether and a xenon electric propulsion system using TsNIIMash TAL-D55 Hall Effect thrusters, integrated by Primex. Eight P-59 (MR-103D) 1N hydrazine REMs are also used for propulsion. Size is 0.9 x 0.9 x 2.4m, mass is 700 kg; launch was by Taurus. The ATEX deck is 0.81 x 0.81 x 0.03m with a mass of 29 kg; STEX without the deck is 1.23 x 1.23 x 2.05m with a mass of 490 kg, plus two 0.5 x 2.0 x 1.7m, 10 kg solar panels. Total STEX dry mass is 539 kg.
| STEX | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 Oct 3 | 1004 | Launch by ARPA Taurus | V 576E |
| Stage 0 sep | |||
| 1005 | T+0:56 Stage 1 burn | ||
| 1006 | T+2:21 Stage 1 sep | ||
| 1006 | T+2:23 Stage 2 burn | ||
| 1006 | T+2:26 Fairing sep | ||
| Stage 2 cutoff | |||
| 1014 | T+10:10 Stage 2 sep | ||
| 1014 | T+10:21 Stage 3 burn | ||
| 1015 | T+ 11:34 Stage 3 cutoff | ||
| 1017 | T+13:29 Stage 3 sep | 98.32 671 x 700 x 85.07 (WWW) | |
| 1017 | T+13:41 Stage 3 CAM (avoidance) | ||
| T+16:51 Stage 3 CAM complete | |||
| T+41:34 RCS depletion | |||
| 98.8 695 x 713 x 85.0 (UN) | |||
| 1998 Oct 7 | EPDM electrical testing | ||
| 1998 Oct 23 | Hall Thruster burn 40mN, 1km raise | ||
| Orbit raising | |||
| 1998 Nov 13 | At final orbit | 744 x 757 x 85.0 | |
| 1999 Jan 16 | 2306 | Begin ATEX deploy | |
| 2324:06 | Tether off course | ||
| 1999 Jan 16 | 2324:17 | ATEX separated at 21m deploy | |
