Hexagon 6

  1973-046A

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KH-9 mission 6 was launched in Jul 1973 and lasted until October, when it may have returned intelligence related to the Yom Kippur war.

The first available element set is 2 days after launch. The orbit was maintained in the standard 155 x 270 km regime until Sep 30, when the perigee was raised. The satellite was in a 200-220 x 230 km circular orbit until deorbit on Oct 12.

HEXAGON 6
Date	Time	Event	Orbit
1973 Jul 13	2022	Launch by Titan IIID	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
	2029	T+7:44? Stage 2 MECO
	2030	T+8:00 Stage 2 sep
			88.8 156 x 269 x 96.2
1973 Jul 29			88.65 154 x 261 x 96.2
1973 Aug 1	2306?	SRV-1 MAR rev 310
1973 Aug 11			88.72 156 x 265 x 96.2
1973 Aug 13	2340?	SRV-2 MAR rev 505
1973 Aug 15		op 122
1973 Aug 15		Last mapping image in continuous sequence, 121
1973 Aug 23		Last mapping image, op 151
1973 Aug 23			88.70 155 x 265 x 96.2
1973 Aug 24	2258?	SRV-5 deorbit?
	2330?	SRV 1206-5 recovered after 44d
1973 Aug 29		DB-8 turned off
1973 Sep 8	2234?	SRV-3 deorbit, MAR rev 926
1973 Sep 18			88.80 158 x 272 x 96.2
1973 Sep 25		SRV-4 MAR rev 1202
1973 Sep 29			88.60 176 x 233 x 96.2
1973 Sep 30	1900?	Orbit raise	89.10 224 x 235 x 96.2
1973 Oct 7			88.76 208 x 218 x 96.2
1973 Oct 11	0707		88.89 204 x 234 x 96.1
1973 Oct 12	0010?	Reentered after 91d
		Deboost rev 1471, day 92
		VASP 2 reentry experiment over Eniwetok
		S+12:55:27 101 km, loss of attitude control
		S+12:55:57 Solar panels fold, 95 km
		S+12:56:07 Loss of signal 93 km
		S+12:56:20 Breakup begins
		S+12:57:25 Vehicle breakup 78 km
	1258	S+12:58:15 67 km
	1302	S+13:02:00 Debris impacts Eniwetok Lagoon at circa 11.4N 162.2E