Saturday, August 10, 2013
Cygnus Mass Simulator
2013-016D
The Orbital Sciences Corporation's Antares launch vehicle made its first flight on Apr 17. The rocket was an Antares 110 model, with a first stage using two Kuznetsov NK-33 engines refurbised and modified by Aerojet as the AJ26-62. The first stage core is built at Yuzhmash in the Ukraine, and the completed first stage is integrated by Orbital at its Wallops Island facility. The second stage is an ATK Castor 30A solid motor built mainly in Bacchus, Utah (the old Hercules). The Antares is launched from Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, operated by the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority on part of NASA's Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) at Wallops Island, Virginia. Pad 0A was built on the site of the old WFF Launch Area 0A used for the failed commercial Conestoga launch in 1995; it is next to Pad 0B, used for Minotaur launches.
The main payload for the Antares A-ONE mission is the 3800 kg Cygnus Mass Simulator, built at Orbital's Dulles factory. The CMS carries instrumentation to measure the launch vehicle environment (vibration, acoustic and thermal).
The CMS also carries ISIPOD deployers to eject four secondary cubesat payloads. Three of them are 1U cubesats from NASA's Ames Research Center, designed to demonstrate use of a commercial mobile phone as a spacecraft avionics/computer system. This follows a similar attempt by Surrey Satellite with the STRaND-1 satellite lauched on Feb 25, which ran into problems and seems to have stopped transmitting. The three cubesats, preciously, are named Alexander, Graham and Bell. The latter two are Phonesat 1.0 V1A and Phonesat 1.0 V1B, each built around a Nexus One Android-based smartphone. Alexander is Phonesat 2.0, based on a Nexus S phone and with an S-band radio, solar panels, GPS receiver, magnetorquers and reaction wheels.
The final payload is a 6 kg 3U cubesat, Dove-1, a demonstration satellite for the San Francisco-based startup company Cosmogia Inc. which is headed by former NASA employees who had earlier been involved in developing the Phonesats. The satellite will return on-board system health data and validate the design for future Dove satellites, which will carry remote sensing payloads.
Orbital Sciences' Cygnus cargo spacecraft is based on a Star-2/LeoStar derived service module, and a Thales Alenia MPLM pressurized cargo module (PCM).
Antares Vehicle No. 2 is used for first flight (No. 1 for ground testing, will refurbish).
SM is 1700 kg with 2 panels Nominal PCM is 3500 kg including 2000 kg cargo, has a CBM; 3.7m long 4.5m dia Mass simulator used in testing has 3800 kg.
PCM-0 on COTS qual flight.
CMS carries 3 1U and 1 3U cubesat integrated by Spaceflight Inc. of Seattle, Washington using Isipod deployers. The 1Us are three ARC PhoneSats.
Mass is 5029 kg in orbit. Prop mass 12815 kg; Isp 301s so Ve = 2.952 km/s. Hence dV = 2.952 ln ( 17844 / 5029 ) = 3.739 km/s. Cf claimed dVr of 3.23 km/s.
| A-ONE | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 Apr 21 | 2100:00 | Launch by Antares | WI/MARS LA0A |
| T+3:50 MECO 107 km | |||
| T+3:55 St 1 sep 113 km | -5110 x 250? x 51.5 | ||
| T+5:19 Fairing 2-piece sep 184 km | |||
| T+5:24 Interstage sep 187 km | |||
| T+5:28 St 2 burn 189 km Vr 4.24 km/s | |||
| 2108 | T+8:03 St 2 burnout 256 km 29.4N 62.9W 7.468 km/s | ||
| 2110 | T+10:03 255 km payload/St 2 sep | 250 x 303 x 51.64 | |
| 2111? | T+11 St 1 impact | ||
| CCAM burns | |||
| T+18:44 End of mission | |||
Satmex 8
2013-012A
Loral 1300 satellite to replace Satmex 5, at the Sol.2 slot 114.9W. Launch 2013 by Proton.
| Satmex 8 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 Mar 26 | 1906:48 | Launch by Proton | KB LC81 |
| 1908:47 | St 1 sep, MD2 burn | ||
| 1912:15 | St 2 sep, MD3 burn | ||
| 1912:33 | GO sep | ||
| 1916:30 | St 3 burnout | ||
| 1916:30 | OB sep | -495 x 171 x 51.55 | |
| 1918:34 | MDU-1 | ||
| 1923:00 | T+16:13 MECO-1 | 173 x 173 x 51.55 | |
| 2014:21 | T+1:07:33 MES-2 | ||
| 2032:06 | T+1:25:18 MECO-2 | 270 x 5000 x 50.3 | |
| 2235:18 | T+3:28:30 MDU-3 burn | ||
| 2248:16 | T+3:41:28 MECO-3 | ||
| 2249:06 | T+3:42:18 DTB sep | 321.7 330 x 18016 x 49.5 | |
| 2250:34 | T+3:43:45 MDU-4 | ||
| 2255:04 | T+3:48:17 MECO-4 | 425 x 35799 x 49.1 | |
| 2013 Mar 27 | 0358:23 | T+8:51:35 MDU-5 | |
| 0405:54 | T+8:56:06 MECO-5 | ||
| 0419:48 | T+9:13:00 Briz sep | ||
| 0623:28 | SOZ-7 | ||
| 0743:28 | SOZ-8 | ||
| 2013 Mar 27 | 750.22 6118 x 35824 x 18.4 | ||
| 2013 Mar 28 | LAM-1 | 870.9 11826 x 35826 x 10.4 | |
| 2013 Mar 29 | LAM-2 | 1103.22 20973 x 37004 x 4.8 | |
| 2013 Mar 31 | LAM-3 | 1391.34 34004 x 35807 x 0.3 | |
| 2013 Apr 1 | LAM-4 | 1405.84 34582 x 35801 x 0.2 | |
| 2013 Apr 1 | LAM-5 | 1435.92 35768 x 35798 x 0.0 GEO 115.2W | |
| 2013 Apr 30 | 1436.11 35779 x 35794 x 0.0 GEO 116.8W | ||
Friday, August 9, 2013
Dragon CRS-2
2013-010A
In trunk, two Heat Rejection System Grapple Fixtures to be installed on the MBS POA. Attached to P1 and S1 radiators in EVA-19.
Up cargo 677 kg including 102 kg packaging. Down cargo 1370 kg (1210 kg pay plus 160 kg packaging).
Launch mass 8830 kg; 7846 kg on Mar 2, 7656 at docking; 8182 kg after undocking.
At stage 2 separation, 3 of 4 Dragon oxidizer tanks failed to pressurize and solar array deploy was delayed in the absence of attitude control, with only Quad 1 operational. Cycling of helium isolation valves cleared the blockage in Quad 4, allowing solar array deploy. Quad 2 and 3 recovered over a 2 hour period.
| CRS2 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 Mar 1 | 1510:13 | Launch by Falcon 9 V1.0 | CC SLC40 |
| 1513 | T+2:55 MECO | ||
| T+3:05 St 1 sep | |||
| T+3:12 St 2 burn | |||
| 1513 | T +3:52 Nose cone sep | ||
| T+9:19 SECO | 199 x 323 x 51.66 | ||
| 1519 | T+9:46? St 2 sep | ||
| 1522 | T+12m Solar array deploy fails | ||
| 1540? | Solar array deploy | 89.76 203 x 321 x 51.7 | |
| 2100? | All thruster pods active | ||
| 2137 | Draco test burn 30s 5.05m/s | ||
| 2205 | Coelliptic Orbit raising burn 4 min 35.8 m/s | 91.09 314 x 340 x 51.7 | |
| 2013 Mar 2 | 0011 | Orbit raise HA 18.4m/s | 91.80 321 x 404 x 51.7 |
| 0056 | Orbit raise CE1 19.7m/s | 92.51 391 x 403 x 51.7 | |
| 0530? | Orbit change | 92.97 332 x 507 x 51.7 | |
| 1100? | Orbit change | 93.37 433 x 445 x 51.7 | |
| 2013 Mar 3 | 0840 | At 350m point | |
| 0905 | Range 250m | ||
| 0906 | Resume approach 250m | ||
| 0933 | Range 140m | ||
| 1000 | 30m hold point | ||
| 1006 | 30m approach resume | ||
| 1022 | At capture point | ||
| 1030 | 1m from capture | ||
| 1031 | Capture | ||
| 1340 | RTL | ||
| 1345 | First stage capture | ||
| 1356 | Final berthing at Harmony nadir CBM | ||
| 1814 | HO | ||
| 2013 Mar 4? | SSRMS ungrapple Dragon | ||
| 2013 Mar 6 | |||
| 2000? | SSRMS grapple HRSGF | ||
| 2004 | SSRMS unberth HRSGF | ||
| 2104 | SSRMS berthing HRSGF on MBS POA - range less than 1 m | ||
| 2220? | Ungrappled and moving away | ||
| 2013 Mar 22 | s | SSRMS grapple Dragon | |
| 2013 Mar 26 | 0810 | Unberth | |
| 1056:00 | Release | ||
| 1059 | Sep-1 burn | ||
| 1101 | Sep-2 burn | ||
| 1108 | Sep-3 burn | ||
| 1109 | Depart KOS | ||
| 1425s | GNC door close | ||
| 1542:33 | Deorbit near 26S 75W 9:59 | ||
| 1552:32s | Deorbit complete | ||
| 1555s | Trunk sep | ||
| 1614s | Entry | ||
| 1623s | Drogue parachute deployed | ||
| 1624s | Main parachute deployed | ||
| 1634:06 | Splashdown near 30.5N 120.1W | ||
Amazonas 3
2013-006A
Loral 1300 satellite for Hispasat, to be used at 61W for Hispamar service.
6265 kg, 8.1 x 2.9 x 36m with 26m span.
| Amazonas-3 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 Feb 7 | 2136:07 | Launch by Ariane 5 | CSG |
| T+2:14 EAP sep | |||
| T+3:11 Fairing sep | |||
| 2144 | T+8:43 EPC MECO | ||
| T+8:49 EPC sep | |||
| T+8:57 ESC-A MES-1 | |||
| 2201 | T+25:12 MECO | ||
| 2203 | T+27:51 Amazonas sep | 633.15 262 x 35830 x 6.4 | |
| 2210 | T+34:36 Sylda sep | ||
| 2212 | T+36:37 Azerspace sep | ||
| T+48:05 VA212 end of mission | |||
| 2013 Feb 11 | 633.12 267 x 35824 x 6.4 | ||
| 2013 Feb 12 | 1213.82 26938 x 35691 x 0.6 | ||
| 2013 Feb 13 | 1398.84 34411 x 35696 x 0.15 | ||
| 2013 Feb 14 | 1429.97 35628 x 35704 x 0.1 GEO 68.3W+1.5E/d | ||
| 2013 Feb 16 | 1434.51 35696 x 35814 x 0.1 GEO 67.8w+0.4E/d | ||
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Yaogan 16
2012-066A
A trio of payloads were launched in Nov 2012 as YW-16.
| YW9 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Nov 25 | 0406 | Launch by CZ-4C | JQ |
| T+2:32? St 1 sep | |||
| St 2 burn | |||
| T+2:47? Fairing sep | |||
| T+6:48? Stage 2 MECO | |||
| T+6:49? St 2 sep | |||
| Stage 3 burn 1 | |||
| 0418? | T+12? Stage 3 MECO | ||
| 0418? | Stage 3 sep | 1083 x 1100 x 63.4 | |
| 2012 Nov 26 | 107.15 1085 x 1104 x 63.4 | ||
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Progress M-17M
2012-060A
Flight 49P. The second 'fast-track' launch to ISS, for Zvezda docking. The vehicle carried out the Izgib experiment to calibrate motion in solar pointing spin.
7290 kg (or 7285 kg, NK) launch mass including 2397 kg cargo of which 1247 kg wet. Undocking mass 5925 kg.
| Progress M-17M | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Oct 31 | 0741:18 | Launch by Soyuz-U 136 | KB LC1 |
| T+1:58 Strapon sep | |||
| T+2:41 Fairing sep | |||
| T+4:47 Blok A sep | |||
| T+4:57 Blok I burn | |||
| T+8:45 Blok I MECO | |||
| 0749 | T+8:49 Blok-I sep | ||
| 0829:12 | DV1 25 m/s | 225 x 280 | |
| 0911:11 | DV2 19m/s | 280 x 312 | |
| 1002:49 | DV3 7m/s | 282 x 325 | |
| 1046:00 | DV4 7m/s | 304 x 326 | |
| 1135 | DV5 | ||
| 1156 | DV6 | ||
| 1222 | DV7 | ||
| 1250 | Kurs test | ||
| 1304 | Begin braking | ||
| 1313 | Begin flyaround | ||
| 1316 | 250m | ||
| 1319 | 210m | ||
| 1323 | Momentary stationkeep at 170m | ||
| 1323 | Final approach | ||
| 1327 | 50m | ||
| 1330 | 30m | ||
| 1333:40 | Docking with Zvezda T+5:52 | ||
| 1343 | Hard dock confirmed | ||
| 2012 Nov 1 | 0700? | HO | |
| 2012 Dec 23 | 1128 | TCM-201? Reboost PM17M 4:05 | 92.80 400 x 422 x 51.7 |
| 2013 Jan 17 | 0215 | TCM 233s 0.46m/s to raise ISS orbit | |
| 2013 Feb 22 | 1034:00 | TCM 277s 0.6m/s, 106 kg,raise ISS orbit | |
| 2013 Mar 21 | 0025:00 | TCM DPO burn 1.5m/s 231 kg 2.6km | |
| 2013 Apr 3 | 1940 | TCM DPO 276s 90 kg 0.6m/s | |
| 2013 Apr 15 | 1202:36 | Undocked Zvezda | |
| 1205:38 | DV 0.6m/s sep | ||
| 1515:00 | Radar-Progress TCM | 384 x 412 x 51.7 | |
| 2013 Apr 16 | TCM cancelled | ||
| 2013 Apr 17 | 1324:37 | RP TCM | 385 x 412 x 51.7 |
| 2013 Apr 18 | 1227:15 | RP TCM | 379 x 412 x 51.7 |
| 2013 Apr 19 | 1129:24 | RP TCM | 372 x 413 x 51.7 |
| 2013 Apr 20 | 1207:02 | RP TCM | 365 x 414 x 51.7 |
| 2013 Apr 21 | 1108:04 | RP TCM | 359 x 415 x 51.7 |
| 92.21 354 x 411 x 51.7 | |||
| 2013 Apr 24 | 1407 | Deorbit 2:53 90.0m/s | 63? x 394 x 51.7 |
| 1410 | DO CO 171s | ||
| 1502 | Debris impact 51.5S 128.1W | ||
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
2009-031A
First new exploration initiative mission. Bus from GSFC MOC control center at GSFC (EOS). 50 km polar orbiter with mapping and radiation studies. EELV 1706 kg full 809 kg dry. Box + 1 panel.
Mass 1916 kg (PK) at launch, 1018 kg dry with 898 kg prop. Size 3.9m x 2.6 x 2.8m stowed, plus 4.3 x 3.2m solar array and 2.6m HGA; span is around 6.0m.
| LRO | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Jun 18 | 2132:00 | Launch by Atlas V 401 | CC LC41 |
| T+4:10 Atlas sep | |||
| T+4:20 MES-1 | |||
| T+4:30 Fairing sep | |||
| 2146 | T+14:01 MECO-1 | 167 x 200 x 28.5 | |
| T+38:28 MES-2 | |||
| 2215:23 | T+43:23 MECO-2 | 165 x ? | |
| 180 x 208 x 28.5 | |||
| Direct insertion TLI | |||
| 194 x 353700 x 28.18 | |||
| 197 x 355471 x 28.51 | |||
| 2218 | T+46:12 EDUS/LCROSS sep from LRO | ||
| 199 x 351994 x 28.5 | |||
| 2009 Jun 19 | 1334 | LRO pass EL1:4 | |
| 2216 | TCM-1 38s 1.3m/s | ||
| 2009 Jun 22 | 1715 | Enter L sphere | |
| 2009 Jun 23 | LOI-E engineering burn | ||
| 2009 Jun 23 | 0947 | LOI 40min | |
| 0950 | 1000 km alt | ||
| 1010 | 280 km periselene | ||
| 1026:28 | LOI CO | 220 x 3100 x 90 | |
| 2009 Jun 24 | 1056s | LOI-2 12min | 200 x 1680 x 89.9 |
| 2009 Jun 25 | 1032 | LOI-3 12 min | 199 x 740 x 89.93 |
| 2009 Jun 26 | 1225 | LOI-4 10 min | 200 x 200 x 89.9? |
| 2009 Jun 27 | 1234 | LOI-5 230.8s, 36m/s | 31 x 199 x 90.2 |
| Commissioning orbit 30 x 216 x 90?, peri on S pole | |||
| 2009 Jul 5 | s | 40 x 200 x 90.1 | |
| 2009 Jul 9 | s | 48 x 192 x 90.1 | |
| 2009 Jul 16 | s | 30 x 209 x 90.6 | |
| 2009 Sep 9 | Commissioning complete | ||
| 2009 Sep 15 | 1932 | 3 min burn 29m/s Mission Orbit Insertion, peri over S pole, Lower to op orbit | 50 x 50 x 89.7 |
| 2009 Oct | s | 36 x 65 x 90.0 | |
| 2010 Jul 24 | s | 38 x 63 x 89.2 | |
| 2011 Aug 1 | 50 x 50? | ||
| 2011 Aug 10 | Lower perilune | 20 x 50 | |
Payload:
- LROC Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (ASU/Robinson)
- NAC Narrow angle cameras, 2: f/4.5 f=700m 50cm res. pan, aperture 0.20m each and
- WAC wide angle multispectral camera, 3000-6800A near UV and visible, 100m/pixel (study resources like TiO-rich rocks for Fe/Ti/O breakdown; find permanently shadowed and illuminated regions. (Derived from MRO-MARCI)
- LOLA Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (GSFC/D.Smith)
- LEND Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (IKI/Mitrofanov)
- LAMP Lyman Alpha Mapping Project, UV imager for craters (SWRI-San Antonio/Gladstone)
- Mini-RF SAR with X-band and S-band modes, 1.2 x 0.7m antenna (LPI/Nozette)
- CRATER Cosmic Ray telescope for the Effects of Radiation; with tissue equivalent plastic dosimeters (BU/Spence)
- DLRE Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment (UCLA/Paige)
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Intelsat 20
2012-043A
Loral 1300 model.
C-band for S Asian cable, Ku band for Asia Africa and Middle East for video and telecom. Located at 68.5 E. Replaces IS-7 and IS-10.
Launch as upper satellite on L564 with a PAS1194C adapter on a Sylda 5B. Performance 10183 kg, made of 6094 kg IS-20, 3311 kg Hylas, 778 kg adapters.
| H2 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Aug 2 | 2054:07? | Launch by Ariane 5 | CSG ELA3 |
| T+2:15 EAP sep | |||
| T+3:10 Fairing sep | |||
| T+8:50 EPC burnout | |||
| 2103 | T+8:56 EPC sep | ||
| 2103 | T+9:00 ESC-A burn | ||
| 2119 | T+25:20 ESC-A burnout | ||
| 2121 | T+27:54 IS-20 sep | ||
| 2126 | T+32:55 Sylda sep | ||
| 2128 | T+34:10 Hylas sep | ||
| 2012 Aug 3 | 631.47 263 x 35743 x 5.9 | ||
| 2012 Aug 3 | 2350? | LAM-1 | 754.96 6385 x 35787 x 3.1 |
| 2012 Aug 5 | 0050? | LAM-2 | 974.91 16599 x 35781 x 1.1 |
| 2012 Aug 6 | 0920? | LAM-3 | 1306.13 30623 x 35781 x 0.1 |
| 2012 Aug 8 | 0425? | LAM-4 | 1434.66 35754 x 35762 x 0.1 |
| 2012 Aug 15 | 1436.08 35775 x 35797 x 0.1 GEO 63.1E | ||
| 2012 Aug 30 | Move out from 64E | ||
| 2012 Sep 13 | 1434.52 35745 x 35766 x 0.0 GEO 68.6E+0.39E/d | ||
Sunday, August 4, 2013
USA-125
1996-038A
A classified satellite was launched by a Titan 4 from Cape Canaveral in Jul 1996. Launch of the venerable K-2 vehicle had been delayed for some years; it delivered its payload to a 318 km, 55.0 deg initial orbit. A kick motor was later cataloged in a 383 x 14072 km x 55.4 deg orbit. The payload is thought to be a QUASAR communications satellite in Molniya-type orbit.
| USA 125 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 Jul 3 | 0030:02 | Launch by Titan K-2 | CC |
| Titan SRM sep | |||
| Titan Stage 1 sep | |||
| 0039? | Titan Stage 2 MECO | ||
| 0039? | Titan stage 2 sep | ||
| 90.4 292 x 300 x 54.9 (UN) | |||
| 1996 Jul 3? | 0135? | PKM fired | 300 x 14200? x 55.4 |
| 0140? | PKM sep | ||
| 0200? | Fiducial inc change | ||
| 1999 Dec 16 | (C) | 383 x 14072 x 55.4 | |
| 2010 Oct 9 | 716.56 363 x 39931 x 64.0 | ||
| 2011? | Reentered | ||