Astro-E

 2000-F01

---

Launch by M-V-4 in 2000 from Kagoshima. ASTRO E's objectives were high throughput, high energy resolution X-ray spectroscopy over a wide energy range. It will carry the XRS calorimeter telescope, the XIS CCD telescope, and the HXD hard X-ray detector.

Planned orbit was 250 x 550 km. Actual orbit was originally indicated to be around 80 x 410 km; probably reentered on first perigee somewhere between E Africa and Tibet. It appears the altitude at burnout was around 220 km, not far below the planned 250 km, but the velocity was much too low. More recent discussions suggest that the orbit was even lower, with a negative perigee, and that the payload fell in the Pacific.

ASTRO E
Date	Time	Event	Orbit
2000 Feb 10	0130	Launch by M-V-4	Kagoshima
		T+25s anomalous vibration
		T+41s Nozzle heat shields break off
		T+53s Pitch control lost
		T+53s Rocket off trajectory
		T+1:15 St 1 sep
		T+1:15 St 2 burn 97s
		T+2:52s St 2 burnout
		T+3:17s Fairing
	0133	T+3:33 St 2 sep
		T+3:38 St 3 burn 103s
	0135	T+5:21 St 3 burnout
	0150	T+20:12 Last signal detected
	0153	T+23:38 St 3 sep (estimated)
	0158?	Reentry (if 80 x 410) over 140W 0N?