Saturday, January 3, 2009

DSP-19

 1999-017A


The Titan 4B returned to flight with core K-32, vehicle B-27, SRMU-8, a 402B model carrying the IUS-21 upper stage. SRM-1 burned and the IUS/DSP stack coasted to apogee. Then the SRM-1 motor was partially separated, but one connector stayed attached. Thermal tape wrapped on the connector made the separation system work incorrectly, a design problem that went back to the early days of IUS - it was just luck that it hadn't happened before. The SRM-2 exit cone was extended, but was fouled by SRM-1. The SRM-2 burn failed, stranding DSP 19 in transfer orbit. Orbital details were classified. DSP-19 was tumbling and it took several weeks to bring it under control.

The spacecraft was used for studies of high radiation dose effects and as a testbed for command software; it was shut down in 2008.


USA 142 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1999 Apr 9  1701:00  Launch by Titan 4B-27/IUS  CC LC41 
  T+2:11 Stage 1 burn 
  T+2:26 SRMU sep 
 1704:29 T+3:26 Fairing 
  T+5:21 Stage 2 burn 
  T+5:22 Stage 1 sep 
  T+8:47 Stage 2 MECO  188 x 718 x 28.6 
 1709:58 T+8:56 Stage 2 sep 
 1815:20 T+1:13:27 SRM-1  
  T+1:20:56 RCS-1 burn  400? x 35000? x 28.5  
 2328:55 T+6:29:44 SRM-1 sep partially 
 2332:22 T+6:33:08 SRM-2 burn  
  T+6:33 SRM-2 burn failed 
 2334:15  SRM-2 cutoff 
 2341:52  RCS depleted 
 2354:59 T+6:58 SRM-2 sep 
1999 Apr 10 0117:22  IUS SRM-2 battery depleted 
1999 Apr 30   DSP under control 
2006 Aug    593 x 34728 x 29.3 
2008 Jul   Decommissioned 

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