Tuesday, April 29, 2003

Crystal 4

 1981-085A


The fourth KH-11 KENNEN was launched on 1981 Sep 3 by a Titan 3D to a 1009 LTDN SSO, the third mission in the west plane.


KENNEN 4 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1981 Sep 3  1829  Launch by Titan 23D  V SLC4E 
  T+1:49? Stage 1 burn 2:27 
  T+1:55 SRM burnout  
  T+1:55 SRM sep 
  T+4:16 Stage 1 MECO 
  T+4:16 Stage 1 sep 
  T+4:16 Stage 2 burn 
  T+5:05? Fairing 
 1836? T+7:44? Stage 2 MECO 
 1837? T+8:00 Stage 2 sep 
1981 Sep 3   92.02 217x527x97.0 
1981 Sep 3   92.29 243x526x97.0 
1981 Sep 7   92.51 270x521x97.0 from 92.21 242x520 
1981 Oct 9   92.60 266x533x97.0 from 92.03 266x478 
1981 Oct 30   92.45 253x532x97.0 from 92.32 265x508 
1981 Nov 5   92.46 276x511x97.0 from 92.37 276x502 
1981 Nov 18   92.61 272x529x97.0 from 92.24 271x493 
1981 Nov 29   92.62 277x524x97.0 from 92.03 265x480 
1982 Jan 8   92.65 285x521x97.0 from 92.51 277x515 
1982 Feb 26   92.77 302x515x97.0 from 92.27 279x489 
1982 Mar 17   92.55 286x510x97.0 from 92.40 286x495 
1982 Apr 26   92.20 293x469x97.0 from 92.09 282x469 
1982 May 10   92.57 294x504x97.0 from 92.12 291x463 
1982 Jun 18   92.56 290x506x97.0 from 92.38 290x490 
1982 Jul 8   92.55 290x505x97.0 from 92.41 287x495 
1982 Sep 16   92.39 297x483x97.0 from 92.22 286x477 
1982 Nov 7   92.59 277x522x97.0 from 91.78 278x442 
1982 Dec 17   92.32 283x490x97.0 from 92.19 272x488 
1983 Feb 26   91.74 278x438x97.0 from ? 
1983 Mar 17   92.10 325x427x97.0 from ? 
1983 Mar 29   92.61 377x424x97.0 from ? 
1984 Apr 30   92.2 369x399x97.0 
1984 Nov 23  reentered after 1176d 

GFO

 1998-007A


Geosat Follow On is built by Ball/Boulder for the USN Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command. It uses a modified Techstar bus. Originally planned for Pegasus XL, then LLV-1, finally remanifested to Taurus. Length is 2.7m, Mass is 365 kg. The GFO is the first altimeter satellite for tactical military applications; it will downlink altimeter data to US Navy ships, helping them avoid head-on currents and providing information for anti-submarine warfare. The intended orbit is 800 x 800 km x 108 deg. A year after launch, GFO was still in checkout and due to software problems had not been performing to spec. By late 1999, most problems had been fixed but altimeter accuracy values were still not meeting spec. Operated by SNWSC NSOC/Pt Mugu; it was transferred to NAVSPACECOM/Dahlgren when finally declared operational in early 2001.

The Taurus launch vehicle uses a new, larger payload fairing and the DPAF dual payload fitting. The Taurus 2210 version has the Castor 120 first stage.

Space Command orbital data in March 1998 repeatedly confused GFO (1998-07A) and the DPAF adapter (1998-07C); DPAF is the one in the 101.5 minute orbit.


GFO 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1998 Feb 10  1320  Launch by Taurus  V 576E 
 1321  T+1:22 Stage 1 sep 39 km 2.08 km/s  -6200 x 50? 
 1321 T+1:22 Stage 2 burn 
 1322 T+2:43 Stage 2 burnout 
 1322 T+2:48 Stage 2 sep 
 1322 T+2:50 Stage 3 burn 128 km 4.54 km/s  -5100? x 175? 
 1322 T+2:53 Fairing sep 131 km 4.57 km/s  -5000? x 180?  
 1324 T+4:11 Stage 3 burnout 
 1331 T+11:21 Stage 3 sep  -3000? x 770  
 1331 T+11:32 Stage 4 burn 
 1332 T+12:40 Stage 4 burnout 
 1334 T+14:31 GFO sep 
 1335 T+15:21 DPAF sep 
 1336 T+16:11 FM3 sep 
 1337 T+17:31 FM4 sep 
 1424   101.30 770 x 869 x 108.0 
1998 Feb 11  0356   101.49 780 x 878 x 108.0 
1998 Feb 27   Begin orbit lower  101.46 791 x 864 x 108.0 
1998 Feb 28   101.26 780 x 856 x 108.0 
1998 Mar 3   101.08 779 x 840 x 108.0 
1998 Mar 5   100.94 785 x 820 x 108.0 
1998 Mar 9   100.64 771 x 806 x 108.0 
1998 Apr 1    100.68 779 x 802 x 108.0 
1998 Apr 12    100.52 778 x 788 x 108.0 
1998 Apr 18    100.59 781 x 791 x 108.0 
1998 May 1    100.59 785 x 787 x 108.0 

May 13,2026

  https://planet4589.org/space/jsr/back/news.855.txt