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Class: Technology. Nation: USA. Agency: USAF STP. Typical orbit: 412 x 1695 km, 68.9 deg inclinaton. Mass: 267 kg (588 lb). Associated Launch Vehicle: Pegasus XL.
STEP Chronology
- 2000 June 7 - TSX 5 - Launch Site: Point Arguello WADZ. Launch Vehicle: Pegasus. Mass: 247 kg (544 lb). Perigee: 412 km (256 mi). Apogee: 1,695 km (1,053 mi). Inclination: 68.94 deg. Period: 106.19 min.
Military Technology satellite. Launch delayed from May 20 and June 6. Fifth STEP (Space Test Experiments Program) satellite. The satellite's main section was the STRV-2 experiment module, sponsored by the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization and the UK Ministry of Defense. This was to take infrared images of UK military aircraft at perigee, and then downlink data via laser. STRV-2 also carried vibration isolation and debris impact sensors. A secondary payload was the S97-1 CEASE (Compact Environmental Anomaly Sensor). This was an AFRL prototype sensor package to provide warning of spacecraft charging and radiation events.
Bibliography:- McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page (launch records), Harvard University, 1997-present. Web Address when accessed: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
- Krebs, Gunter, Gunter's Space Page, University of Frankfurt, 1996. Web Address when accessed: http://www.skyrocket.de/space.
- NASA/GSFC Orbital Information Group Website, Web Address when accessed: http://oig1.gsfc.nasa.gov/.
- Space-Launcher.com, Orbital Report News Agency. Web Address when accessed: http://www.orbireport.com/Log.html.
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© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2008 except where otherwise noted.
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