ARGOS

 1999-008A

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[P91-11999-08A

The P91-1 ARGOS satellite was launched in 1999 Feb by Delta from Vandenberg. Orbit will be 900 x 900 km x 98.7 deg. ARGOS (Advanced Research and Global Observation Satellite) is built by Boeing (fka Rockwell) Seal Beach, for the USAF. The largest experiment is the ESEX arcjet thruster, with a power of 30 kW. It will be used for system tests but will not alter the spacecraft's orbit. Mass is 2490 kg. The USA experiment, using SPTN-1 proportional counters, will carry out very long (1 month) exposures on bright X-ray sources for time variability studies.

Argos is managed by the Tri-Service Spacecraft Div., STP, Kirtland AFB.

A first launch try on Jan 28 failed when a vernier engine did not ignite.

ARGOS
Date	Time	Event	Orbit
1999 Jan 28	1044:44	Launch abort T-2s	V SLC2
1999 Feb 23	1029:55	Launch by Delta 7920-10
		T+1:04 SRM1-6 burnout
		T+1:05 SRM7-9 burn
		T+1:26 SRM1-3 sep
		T+1:29 SRM4-6 sep 28 km	-6340 x 32 ?
		T+1:30 dogleg
		T+2:09 SRM7-9 burnout
		T+2:11 SRM7-9 sep 55 km	-6200 x 75 ?
		T+4:23 MECO
		T+4:31 Stage 1 sep
		T+4:37 SES-1 129 km	-4140 x 170 ?
		T+4:42 Fairing sep 132 km	-4120 x 170 ?
	1040:53	T+10:58 SECO-1	178 x 852 x 98.84
	1121:17	T+51:22 SES-2
	1121:37	T+51:42 SECO-2
	1128:15	T+58:20 Stage 2 sep from ARGOS	843 x 843 x 98.7
		T+58:20 Stage 2 retro
	1145:55	T+1:16:00 SES-3 evasive
		T+1:16:06 SECO-3 evasive	620 x 850 x 98.20
	1201:39	T+1:31:44 SES-4 depletion
	1202:05	T+1:32:10 SECO-4	620 x 850 x 96.7
	1209:55	T+1:40:00 Orsted and SUNSAT sep	649 x 863 x 96.5

Payload:

• CERTO Coherent Radio Topography Experiment Payload, NRL

• CIV Critical Ionization Vel experiment, Phillips Lab

• ESEX Electric Propulsion for Space Test TRW/Philips arcjet thruster

• ESEX NaS batteries (3)

• SUPER Survivable Power Subsystem Demonstrator Solar Power module

• EUVIP EUV Imaging Photometer, UCB for plasmasphere background.

• GIMI Global Imaging Monitor of the Ionosphere, NRL UV imager radiometer for daily O+ and e- density, 750-2000A. high time resolution studies 1-15 keV)

• HIRAAS High Res Airglow/Aurora Spectroscopy, NRL, with UV spectrographs. (Rocket experiment reflight)

• LORAAS Low Res Airglow and Auroral Spectrograph, NRL (SSULI prototype)

• HTSSE II High Temp Superconducting Expt., NRL