Minisat 1

 1997-018A

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Minisat-01 is a technology precursor to the Minisat-1 observation satellite and the Minisat-2 comsat. It carries technology and astronomy experiments. The EURD spectrographs will observe the interstellar medium. The LEGRI gamma ray experiment is a joint Spanish-British instrument, testing out advanced hard X-ray (10-100 keV) HgI2 detectors. A third experiment measures effects of microaccelerations on liquids.

The 209 kg satellite was built for INTA (Espana) by CASA. The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle was attached to the L-1011 carrier plane at Torrej'on AFB, Madrid. The L-1011 then flew to Gando Air Base on the eastern end of the island of Gran Canaria. Gran Canaria is Spanish territory located just off the North African coast. On Apr 21, the L-1011 took off from Gando, and flew south to the drop point at 11.5 km over the ocean between Gran Canaria and Africa, at 27.0 N 15.33 W. Five seconds after drop, the XL ignited and soared westward to a record high inclination orbit in a ten minute flight. Minisat separated from the Pegasus third stage carrying the Celestis satellite. The inclination of 151.0 degrees was six degrees higher than the record set by OV1 satellites in the 1960s. Launch control and orbit control was from Maspolamas space center on the southern tip of Gran Canaria. Operational control is from INTA/Torrejon and the science operations center is at INTA's LAEFF lab at Villafranca del Castillo.

The satellite was 1.1 x 1.0 x 1.2m with four solar panels 1.5m in size, so approx 4.0 span.

Minisat-01
Date	Time	Event	Orbit
1997 Apr 19	1545	L-1011 takeoff from Torrej'on AFB, Madrid
	1620	Arrive Gando AFB, Gran Canaria
1997 Apr 21	1101	Takeoff from Gando AFB, Gran Canaria RW03/21(LorR)
	1159:06	11.9 km over drop point, release
	1159	T+0:05 Stage 1 ignite, 150 m below L-1011
	1200	T+1:05 Fin rockets
	1200	T+1:15 Stage 1 cutoff
	1200	T+1:30 Stage 1 sep
	1200	T+1:31 Stage 2 burn
	1201	T+2:10 Fairing sep
	1201	T+2:42 Stage 2 cutoff, coast
	1207	T+8:31 Stage 2 sep
	1207	T+8:42 Stage 3 burn
	1208	T+9:47 Stage 3 cutoff
	1209	T+10:45 Stage 3 sep	562 x 581 x 151.0
1999 Apr		Still operating