Pegasus XL

Uprated version of Pegasus air-launched winged light satellite launcher. 4 stage vehicle consisting of 1 x L-1011 + 1 x Pegasus XL stage 1 + 1 x Orion 50XL + 1 x Orion 38.

Manufacturer: OSC. Launches: 29. Failures: 3. Success Rate: 89.66%. First Launch Date: 1994-06-27. Last Launch Date: 2007-04-25. Launch data is: continuing. LEO Payload: 443 kg (976 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.50 degrees. Payload: 190 kg (410 lb). to a: Sun synchronous, 800 km, 98.5 deg orbital trajectory. Associated Spacecraft: CPAC, Eagle, FAST, FORTE, Galex, HESSI, HETE, Microstar, Minisat, Orbcomm, Orbview, Orbview-2, REX, SAC-B, SCISAT, SNOE, SORCE, STEP, SWAS, Teledesic, TERRIERS, TOMS-EP, TRACE, WIRE. Liftoff Thrust: 486.640 kN (109,401 lbf). Total Mass: 24,000 kg (52,000 lb). Core Diameter: 1.27 m (4.16 ft). Total Length: 17.60 m (57.70 ft). Launch Price $: 12.000 million. in: 1994 price dollars.

4 stage vehicle consisting of 1 x L-1011 + 1 x Pegasus XL stage 1 + 1 x Orion 50XL + 1 x Orion 38.

LEO Payload: 443 kg (976 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.50 degrees. Payload: 190 kg (410 lb). to a: Sun synchronous, 800 km, 98.5 deg orbital trajectory. Liftoff Thrust: 486.640 kN (109,401 lbf). Total Mass: 24,000 kg (52,000 lb). Core Diameter: 1.27 m (4.16 ft). Total Length: 17.60 m (57.70 ft).

5 stage version consisting of 1 x L-1011 + 1 x Pegasus XL stage 1 + 1 x Orion 50XL + 1 x Orion 38 + 1 x HAPS

LEO Payload: 350 kg (770 lb). Apogee: 4,000 km (2,400 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 726.000 kN (163,211 lbf). Total Mass: 23,000 kg (50,000 lb). Core Diameter: 1.28 m (4.19 ft). Total Length: 17.40 m (57.00 ft).

• Stage Number: 0. 1 x Stage: L-1011. Gross Mass: 156,000 kg (343,000 lb). Empty Mass: 109,629 kg (241,690 lb). Thrust (vac): 561.900 kN (126,320 lbf). Isp: 9,900 sec. Burn time: 4,590 sec. Isp(sl): 9,000 sec. Diameter: 16.86 m (55.31 ft). Span: 47.00 m (154.00 ft). Length: 54.00 m (177.00 ft). Propellants: Air/Kerosene. No Engines: 3. Engine: RB-211-22B. Lockheed airliner swept wing. Release conditions: Belly-mounted, 36,800 kg, 17.1 m length x 7.9 m span at 925 kph at 11,890 m altitude

• Stage Number: 1. 1 x Stage: Pegasus XL-1. Gross Mass: 17,934 kg (39,537 lb). Empty Mass: 2,886 kg (6,362 lb). Thrust (vac): 589.007 kN (132,414 lbf). Isp: 293 sec. Burn time: 73 sec. Isp(sl): 180 sec. Diameter: 1.27 m (4.16 ft). Span: 6.71 m (22.01 ft). Length: 8.88 m (29.13 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: Pegasus XL-1.

• Stage Number: 2. 1 x Stage: Pegasus XL-2. Gross Mass: 4,331 kg (9,548 lb). Empty Mass: 416 kg (917 lb). Thrust (vac): 153.503 kN (34,509 lbf). Isp: 290 sec. Burn time: 73 sec. Isp(sl): 240 sec. Diameter: 1.27 m (4.16 ft). Span: 1.27 m (4.16 ft). Length: 3.58 m (11.74 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: Pegasus XL-2.

• Stage Number: 3. 1 x Stage: Pegasus-3. Gross Mass: 985 kg (2,171 lb). Empty Mass: 203 kg (447 lb). Thrust (vac): 34.568 kN (7,771 lbf). Isp: 293 sec. Burn time: 65 sec. Isp(sl): 240 sec. Diameter: 0.97 m (3.18 ft). Span: 0.97 m (3.18 ft). Length: 2.08 m (6.82 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: Pegasus-3.

1994 June 27 - 21:15 GMT - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: RW30. Launch Pad: L-1011. Launch Vehicle: Pegasus XL. Model: Pegasus XL. LV Configuration: Pegasus XL F6. FAILURE: Destroyed on launch.

• STEP 1 Nation: USA. Program: STEP. Payload: STEP M1 / P90-1. Class: Military. Type: SDI. Spacecraft: Eagle. Agency: OSC. Apogee: 38 km (23 mi). COSPAR: F940627A. Destroyed on launch References: 2, 5.

• STEP 3 Nation: USA. Program: STEP. Payload: STEP M3. Mass: 267 kg (588 lb). Class: Technology. Spacecraft: STEP. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 144 km (89 mi). COSPAR: F950622A. Decay Date: 1995-06-22. Space Test Experiment Platform. References: 5.

• REX-II Nation: USA. Class: Earth. Type: Ionosphere. Spacecraft: REX. Agency: USAF STP. Perigee: 799 km (496 mi). Apogee: 835 km (518 mi). Inclination: 90.00 deg. Period: 101.20 min. COSPAR: 1996-014A. USAF Sat Cat: 23814. LEO References: 4, 6.

• TOMS-EP Nation: USA. Mass: 248 kg (546 lb). Class: Earth. Type: Atmosphere. Spacecraft: TOMS-EP. Agency: NASA-GSF. Perigee: 705 km (438 mi). Apogee: 746 km (463 mi). Inclination: 98.30 deg. Period: 99.30 min. COSPAR: 1996-037A. USAF Sat Cat: 23940. LEO. Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer-Earth Probe; atmospheric ozone mapping. References: 4, 6.

• FAST Nation: USA. Program: Small Explorer. Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere. Spacecraft: FAST. Agency: NASA-GSF. Perigee: 353 km (219 mi). Apogee: 4,163 km (2,586 mi). Inclination: 83.00 deg. Period: 132.70 min. COSPAR: 1996-049A. USAF Sat Cat: 24285. Second Small Explorer mission. References: 4.

• HETE Nation: USA. Program: STEDI. Class: Astronomy. Spacecraft: HETE. Agency: NASA-GSF. Perigee: 487 km (302 mi). Apogee: 555 km (344 mi). Inclination: 38.00 deg. Period: 95.00 min. COSPAR: 1996-061A. USAF Sat Cat: 24645. Decay Date: 2002-04-07. The High Energy Transient Experiment (HETE) was an international mission led by The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Its prime objective was to carry out the first multiwavelength study of gamma ray bursts (GRBs) with UV, X-ray, and gamma ray instruments. A unique feature of the mission was its capability to localise bursts with several arcsecond accuracy, in near real-time aboard the spacecraft. These positions were to be transmitted to the ground, and picked up by a global network of primary and secondary ground stations (SGS), enabling sensitive follow-up studies. However the satellite was never released from its payload fitting. Although signals were received, the solar panels could not deploy, and it went silent after a few days when its batteries ran down.References: 4.

• SAC-B Nation: Argentina. Program: SAC. Class: Technology. Spacecraft: SAC-B. Agency: CONAE. Perigee: 487 km (302 mi). Apogee: 555 km (344 mi). Inclination: 38.00 deg. Period: 95.00 min. COSPAR: 1996-061A. USAF Sat Cat: 24645. Decay Date: 2002-04-07. References: 4.

• Minisat-01 Nation: USA. Mass: 209 kg (460 lb). Class: Technology . Spacecraft: Minisat. Agency: INTA. Manufacturer: CASA, Madrid. Perigee: 561 km (348 mi). Apogee: 580 km (360 mi). Inclination: 151.00 deg. Period: 96.00 min. COSPAR: 1997-018A. USAF Sat Cat: 24779. Decay Date: 2002-02-26. Minisat-01 carried the EURD extreme ultraviolet spectrograph to study interstellar gas, the LEGRI gamma ray burst detector, and the CPLM microacceleration in liquids experiment. References: 4.

• Celestis Nation: USA. Payload: CPAC. Class: Burial . Spacecraft: CPAC. Agency: OSC. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 553 km (343 mi). Apogee: 581 km (361 mi). Inclination: 151.00 deg. Period: 96.00 min. COSPAR: 1997-018B. USAF Sat Cat: 24780. References: 4.

• Orbview-2 Nation: USA. Payload: Seastar. Class: Surveillance. Type: Civilian. Spacecraft: Orbview-2. Agency: Orbimage. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 707 km (439 mi). Apogee: 708 km (439 mi). Inclination: 98.20 deg. Period: 98.90 min. COSPAR: 1997-037A. USAF Sat Cat: 24883. References: 4.

• FORTE Nation: USA. Class: Technology. Spacecraft: FORTE. Agency: USAF STP. Manufacturer: Los Alamos National Labs. Perigee: 799 km (496 mi). Apogee: 833 km (517 mi). Inclination: 70.00 deg. Period: 101.20 min. COSPAR: 1997-047A. USAF Sat Cat: 24920. FORTE - 'Fast On-orbit Recording of Transient Events' - was a US Los Alamos National Laboratory satellite designed to study natural and artificial radio emissions from the ionosphere. This data was needed to develop technology for monitoring nuclear test ban treaties.References: 4.

• STEP-4 Nation: USA. Program: STEP. Payload: STEP M4. Class: Military. Type: SDI. Spacecraft: Eagle. Agency: USAF STP. Perigee: 432 km (268 mi). Apogee: 500 km (310 mi). Inclination: 45.00 deg. Period: 93.80 min. COSPAR: 1997-063A. USAF Sat Cat: 25013. Decay Date: 2001-03-31. References: 4.

• Orbcomm A1 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM5. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 812 km (504 mi). Apogee: 823 km (511 mi). Inclination: 45.03 deg. Period: 101.26 min. COSPAR: 1997-084A. USAF Sat Cat: 25112. Plane A. Ascending node 297.7 degrees. References: 4.

• Orbcomm A2 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM6. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 813 km (505 mi). Apogee: 822 km (510 mi). Inclination: 45.03 deg. Period: 101.26 min. COSPAR: 1997-084B. USAF Sat Cat: 25113. Plane A. Ascending node 300.7 degrees. References: 4.

• Orbcomm A3 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM7. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 813 km (505 mi). Apogee: 822 km (510 mi). Inclination: 45.03 deg. Period: 101.26 min. COSPAR: 1997-084C. USAF Sat Cat: 25114. Plane A. Ascending node 301 degrees. References: 4.

• Orbcomm A4 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM8. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 813 km (505 mi). Apogee: 823 km (511 mi). Inclination: 45.02 deg. Period: 101.26 min. COSPAR: 1997-084D. USAF Sat Cat: 25115. Plane A. Ascending node 300.5 degrees. References: 4.

• Orbcomm A5 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM9. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 814 km (505 mi). Apogee: 822 km (510 mi). Inclination: 45.02 deg. Period: 101.26 min. COSPAR: 1997-084E. USAF Sat Cat: 25116. Plane A. Ascending node 301 degrees. References: 4.

• Orbcomm A6 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM10. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 812 km (504 mi). Apogee: 823 km (511 mi). Inclination: 45.02 deg. Period: 101.26 min. COSPAR: 1997-084F. USAF Sat Cat: 25117. Plane A. Ascending node 301.2 degrees. References: 4.

• Orbcomm A7 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM11. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 813 km (505 mi). Apogee: 823 km (511 mi). Inclination: 45.02 deg. Period: 101.26 min. COSPAR: 1997-084G. USAF Sat Cat: 25118. Plane A. Ascending node 301.2 degrees. References: 4.

• Orbcomm A8 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM12. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 812 km (504 mi). Apogee: 823 km (511 mi). Inclination: 45.02 deg. Period: 101.26 min. COSPAR: 1997-084H. USAF Sat Cat: 25119. Plane A. Ascending node 301.2 degrees. References: 4.

• SNOE Nation: USA. Program: STEDI. Class: Earth. Spacecraft: SNOE. Agency: NASA GSF. Manufacturer: University of Colorado, Boulder. Perigee: 529 km (328 mi). Apogee: 581 km (361 mi). Inclination: 97.70 deg. Period: 95.80 min. COSPAR: 1998-012A. USAF Sat Cat: 25233. Decay Date: 2003-12-13. SNOE, the Student Nitric Oxide Explorer. Small satellite built by the University of Colorado to measure the Nitric Oxide density as a function of altitude. First satellite in the STEDI (Student Explorer Demonstration Initiative) program. References: 4, 276.

• Teledesic 1 Nation: USA. Payload: BATSAT. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Teledesic. Agency: Teledesic. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 532 km (330 mi). Apogee: 577 km (358 mi). Inclination: 97.70 deg. Period: 95.70 min. COSPAR: 1998-012B. USAF Sat Cat: 25234. Decay Date: 2000-10-09. Communications Technology Demonstrator. References: 4, 276.

• TRACE Nation: USA. Program: Small Explorer. Class: Solar. Spacecraft: TRACE. Agency: NASA GSF. Manufacturer: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt. Perigee: 602 km (374 mi). Apogee: 652 km (405 mi). Inclination: 97.80 deg. Period: 97.10 min. COSPAR: 1998-020A. USAF Sat Cat: 25280. NASA's third Small Explorer, the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE), was successfully launched by an Orbital Pegasus XL. The L-1011 carrier aircraft took off from Vandenberg and dropped the Pegasus over the Pacific Ocean. TRACE, a project led by Lockheed's solar physics group, carried a 30-cm extreme ultraviolet imaging telescope which will study the Sun. The telescope mirrors were made by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. TRACE had an 8.5 arcmin field of view and 1 arcsecond resolution.

• Orbcomm B5 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM17. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 813 km (505 mi). Apogee: 824 km (512 mi). Inclination: 45.00 deg. Period: 101.28 min. COSPAR: 1998-046A. USAF Sat Cat: 25413. Plane B. Ascending node 61 degrees.

• Orbcomm B6 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM18. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 810 km (500 mi). Apogee: 827 km (513 mi). Inclination: 45.00 deg. Period: 101.28 min. COSPAR: 1998-046B. USAF Sat Cat: 25414. Plane B. Ascending node 59.7 degrees.

• Orbcomm B7 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM19. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 809 km (502 mi). Apogee: 828 km (514 mi). Inclination: 45.00 deg. Period: 101.28 min. COSPAR: 1998-046C. USAF Sat Cat: 25415. Plane B. Ascending node 61.1 degrees.

• Orbcomm B8 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM20. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 811 km (503 mi). Apogee: 826 km (513 mi). Inclination: 45.00 deg. Period: 101.28 min. COSPAR: 1998-046D. USAF Sat Cat: 25416. Plane B. Ascending node 61.2 degrees.

• Orbcomm B4 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM16. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 812 km (504 mi). Apogee: 825 km (512 mi). Inclination: 45.00 deg. Period: 101.28 min. COSPAR: 1998-046E. USAF Sat Cat: 25417. Plane B. Ascending node 59.9 degrees.

• Orbcomm B3 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM15. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 812 km (504 mi). Apogee: 825 km (512 mi). Inclination: 45.01 deg. Period: 101.28 min. COSPAR: 1998-046F. USAF Sat Cat: 25418. Plane B. Ascending node 60 degrees.

• Orbcomm B2 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM14. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 811 km (503 mi). Apogee: 826 km (513 mi). Inclination: 45.00 deg. Period: 101.28 min. COSPAR: 1998-046G. USAF Sat Cat: 25419. Plane B. Ascending node 60.4 degrees.

• Orbcomm B1 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM13. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 813 km (505 mi). Apogee: 824 km (512 mi). Inclination: 45.00 deg. Period: 101.27 min. COSPAR: 1998-046H. USAF Sat Cat: 25420. Plane B. Ascending node 60.4 degrees.

• Orbcomm C1 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM21. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 811 km (503 mi). Apogee: 825 km (512 mi). Inclination: 45.01 deg. Period: 101.27 min. COSPAR: 1998-053A. USAF Sat Cat: 25475. Plane C. Ascending node 181.6 degrees. References: 279.

• Orbcomm C2 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM22. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 814 km (505 mi). Apogee: 823 km (511 mi). Inclination: 45.02 deg. Period: 101.27 min. COSPAR: 1998-053B. USAF Sat Cat: 25476. Plane C. Ascending node 178 degrees. References: 279.

• Orbcomm C3 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM23. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 813 km (505 mi). Apogee: 823 km (511 mi). Inclination: 45.02 deg. Period: 101.27 min. COSPAR: 1998-053C. USAF Sat Cat: 25477. Plane C. Ascending node 181.8 degrees. References: 279.

• Orbcomm C4 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM24. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 814 km (505 mi). Apogee: 822 km (510 mi). Inclination: 45.01 deg. Period: 101.27 min. COSPAR: 1998-053D. USAF Sat Cat: 25478. Plane C. Ascending node 181.7 degrees. References: 279.

• Orbcomm C5 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM25. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 813 km (505 mi). Apogee: 824 km (512 mi). Inclination: 45.01 deg. Period: 101.27 min. COSPAR: 1998-053E. USAF Sat Cat: 25479. Plane C. Ascending node 181.5 degrees. References: 279.

• Orbcomm C6 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM26. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 811 km (503 mi). Apogee: 825 km (512 mi). Inclination: 45.01 deg. Period: 101.27 min. COSPAR: 1998-053F. USAF Sat Cat: 25480. Plane C. Ascending node 181.5 degrees. References: 279.

• Orbcomm C7 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM27. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 813 km (505 mi). Apogee: 823 km (511 mi). Inclination: 45.02 deg. Period: 101.27 min. COSPAR: 1998-053G. USAF Sat Cat: 25481. Plane C. Ascending node 181.6 degrees. References: 279.

• Orbcomm C8 Nation: USA. Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM28. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 813 km (505 mi). Apogee: 824 km (512 mi). Inclination: 45.03 deg. Period: 101.27 min. COSPAR: 1998-053H. USAF Sat Cat: 25482. Plane C. Ascending node 181.7 degrees. References: 279.

• SWAS Nation: USA. Program: Small Explorer. Class: Astronomy. Spacecraft: SWAS. Agency: NASA GSF. Manufacturer: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt. Perigee: 637 km (395 mi). Apogee: 651 km (404 mi). Inclination: 69.90 deg. COSPAR: 1998-071A. USAF Sat Cat: 25560. On December 3 the Orbital Sciences L-1011 Stargazer took off from Vandenberg AFB Runway 30/12 carrying a Pegasus XL launch vehicle with the SWAS satellite aboard. It reached the drop box at 36.0N 123.0W over the Pacific, but due to a software-related problem the range ordered the launch scrubbed and the L-1011 returned to base. After a further delay due to weather, the L-1011 took off at 23:58 GMT on December 5 and SWAS reached orbit and separated from the third stage at 01:09 GMT. SWAS, the Sub-millimetre Wave Astronomy Satellite, had a 0.6m telescope with a 490 to 550 GHz sub-millimetre receiver and an acousto-optical spectrometer. SWAS was used to study the cooling of molecular cloud cores, the sites of star formation in our galaxy, by measuring lines from molecular oxygen and water.

• WIRE Nation: USA. Class: Astronomy. Spacecraft: WIRE. Agency: NASA GSF. Manufacturer: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt. Perigee: 537 km (333 mi). Apogee: 582 km (361 mi). Inclination: 97.50 deg. COSPAR: 1999-011A. USAF Sat Cat: 25646. NASA's long-delayed WIRE (Wide Field Infrared Explorer) astronomy satellite was the fifth Small Explorer (SMEX) mission managed by NASA-Goddard. The L-1011 Stargazer launch aircraft took off from Vandenberg's runway 30/12 at 01:55 GMT on March 2 for the first launch attempt. The planned 02:56 GMT launch was cancelled at T-46 seconds due to a problem with the tail fin release mechanism of the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The second attempt was successful, with the Pegaus XL being dropped at 36 degrees N x 123 degrees W over the Pacific Ocean at 02:56 GMT. However the WIRE ran into serious trouble shortly after orbit injection. The cover of the solid hydrogen telescope ejected prematurely, and the cryogenic coolant evaporated and vented, spinning the satellite out of control. WIRE was going to make an infrared photometry survey, generating a large catalog of galaxies and quasars.References: 4.

• TERRIERS Nation: USA. Class: Technology. Type: Military. Spacecraft: TERRIERS. Agency: NASA GSF. Manufacturer: AeroAstro Inc. Perigee: 537 km (333 mi). Apogee: 552 km (342 mi). Inclination: 97.80 deg. COSPAR: 1999-026A. USAF Sat Cat: 25735. TERRIERS was part of NASA's Student Explorer Demonstration Initiative (STEDI), which was a precursor program to the UNEX (University Explorer) series. STEDI was managed by USRA (the Universities Space Research Association) for NASA, while UNEX was to be more directly managed by NASA-GSFC. TERRIERS was to be operated by the space physics group at Boston University for ionosphere studies, and carried TESS, a set of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectrographs to get electron density and thermosphere emission profiles. The GISSMO instrument measured the solar EUV flux. The spacecraft was built by AeroAstro and based on HETE. TERRIERS was placed in the correct orbit, but it failed to orient its solar panel to the Sun and ran out of battery power by May 20. Controllers were optimistic that when its orbit processes to a better sun angle the satellite could be revived.Additional Details: TERRIERS(12506).

• MUBLCOM Nation: USA. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: USA. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown. Perigee: 770 km (470 mi). Apogee: 775 km (481 mi). Inclination: 97.70 deg. COSPAR: 1999-026B. USAF Sat Cat: 25736. After deploying the TERRIERS satellite, the conical Payload Adapter Fitting (1998-26E) was jettisoned at 05:21 GMT, leaving the disk-shaped MUBLCOM satellite attached to the Pegasus XL PRIMEX HAPS-Lite stage. The second HAPS burn at 05:22 GMT raised apogee to 775 km, followed by a third, apogee burn at 06:10 GMT which circularised the orbit. MUBLCOM was deployed to a 769 km x 776 km x 97.7 degree orbit. The final HAPS burn then placed the depleted HAPS stage in a lower 388 km x 722 km x 97.1 degree disposal orbit. MUBLCOM (Multiple beam Beyond Line-of-sight Communications) was an experimental satellite funded by DARPA and managed by the US Army's Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) at Ft Monmouth, New Jersey. It was built by Orbital Sciences using the Microstar (Orbcomm type) bus and carries a payload testing hand-held radio satellite communications for the armed forces.

  Six years later MUBLCOM was the target for the DART Autonomous Rendezvous Technology mission. On April 16, 2005, DART closed within 100 m of MUBLCOM satellite, then evidently began a series of out-of-control maneuvers resulting in an in-space collission and MUBLCOM being bumped into a 3 to 5 km higher orbit. DART was deorbited while MUBLCOM, still functioned, continued on in space.

• Orbcomm FM30 Nation: USA. Mass: 45 kg (99 lb). Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown. Perigee: 824 km (512 mi). Apogee: 834 km (518 mi). Inclination: 45.00 deg. COSPAR: 1999-065A. USAF Sat Cat: 25980. Seven Orbcomms launched, rather than eight as on previous flights. References: 4, 552, 554.

• Orbcomm FM31 Nation: USA. Mass: 45 kg (99 lb). Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown. Perigee: 824 km (512 mi). Apogee: 834 km (518 mi). Inclination: 45.00 deg. COSPAR: 1999-065B. USAF Sat Cat: 25981. References: 4, 552, 554.

• Orbcomm FM32 Nation: USA. Mass: 45 kg (99 lb). Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown. Perigee: 824 km (512 mi). Apogee: 834 km (518 mi). Inclination: 45.00 deg. COSPAR: 1999-065C. USAF Sat Cat: 25982. References: 4, 552, 554.

• Orbcomm FM33 Nation: USA. Mass: 45 kg (99 lb). Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown. Perigee: 824 km (512 mi). Apogee: 834 km (518 mi). Inclination: 45.00 deg. COSPAR: 1999-065D. USAF Sat Cat: 25983. References: 4, 552, 554.

• Orbcomm FM34 Nation: USA. Mass: 45 kg (99 lb). Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown. Perigee: 824 km (512 mi). Apogee: 834 km (518 mi). Inclination: 45.00 deg. COSPAR: 1999-065E. USAF Sat Cat: 25984. References: 4, 552, 554.

• Orbcomm FM35 Nation: USA. Mass: 45 kg (99 lb). Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown. Perigee: 824 km (512 mi). Apogee: 834 km (518 mi). Inclination: 45.00 deg. COSPAR: 1999-065F. USAF Sat Cat: 25985. References: 4, 552, 554.

• Orbcomm FM36 Nation: USA. Mass: 45 kg (99 lb). Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Orbcomm. Agency: Orbcomm. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown. Perigee: 824 km (512 mi). Apogee: 834 km (518 mi). Inclination: 45.00 deg. COSPAR: 1999-065G. USAF Sat Cat: 25986. References: 4, 552, 554.

• TSX 5 Nation: USA. Payload: P95-2. Mass: 247 kg (544 lb). Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: STEP. Agency: USAF STP. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., McLean. Perigee: 412 km (256 mi). Apogee: 1,695 km (1,053 mi). Inclination: 68.94 deg. Period: 106.19 min. COSPAR: 2000-030A. USAF Sat Cat: 26374. 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.References: 4, 552, 554.

• HESSI Nation: USA. Payload: SA-200S. Mass: 449 kg (989 lb). Class: Solar. Spacecraft: HESSI. Agency: NASA (U.S.). Manufacturer: Spectrum Astro. Perigee: 574 km (356 mi). Apogee: 599 km (372 mi). Inclination: 38.00 deg. Period: 96.40 min. COSPAR: 2002-004A. USAF Sat Cat: 27370. HESSI, the sixth Small Explorer, carried a rotating modulation collimator transform telescope, imaging solar flares in the hard X-ray spectrum. The launch marked the return to flight of Pegasus after the Hyper-X failure. The launch was originally to have occurred on 28 March 2001. The L-1011 launch aircraft took off at 19:29 GMT from the Cape Canaveral Skid Strip RW30/12, and headed out to the drop area at 28.0 N 78.5 W over the Atlantic. Drop of the Pegasus in the Atlantic Drop Zone at 28.0 N 78.5 W was at 20:58 GMT, with ignition 5 seconds later. The Pegasus reached orbit at 21:07 GMT. On the first pass it was confirmed that the solar panels had opened.

  The satellite rotated at 15 rpm, imaging by reconstructing the Fourier components from the time modulation of the solar x-ray flux through a set of 9 grids each 9 cm in diameter. It was expected to make images with a resolution of 2 arcseconds at 40 keV energies and 36 arcseconds at 1 MeV energies. The launch delays meant that HESSI missed some of the best flares at solar max.References: 4, 552, 554.

• SORCE Nation: USA. Payload: Solstice/SAVE. Mass: 268 kg (590 lb). Class: Astronomy. Type: Solar. Spacecraft: SORCE. Agency: NASA. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences. Perigee: 617 km (384 mi). Apogee: 657 km (408 mi). Inclination: 39.99 deg. Period: 97.31 min. COSPAR: 2003-004A. USAF Sat Cat: 27651. Solar irradiance monitoring, climatology mission. Launch delayed from December 1 and 13, 2002. References: 554.

• Galex Nation: USA. Mass: 280 kg (610 lb). Class: Astronomy. Type: Ultraviolet. Spacecraft: Galex. Agency: NASA. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences. Perigee: 694 km (431 mi). Apogee: 699 km (434 mi). Inclination: 29.00 deg. Period: 98.70 min. COSPAR: 2003-017A. USAF Sat Cat: 27783. Much delayed launch (from January 19, May 19, July 16, 21 and 30, August 14 and October 17, 2002; January 27, March 25 and 30, April 15 and 26 2003).

• Orbview 3 Nation: USA. Mass: 304 kg (670 lb). Class: Remote Sensing. Spacecraft: Orbview. Perigee: 452 km (280 mi). Apogee: 455 km (282 mi). Inclination: 97.30 deg. Period: 93.70 min. COSPAR: 2003-030A. USAF Sat Cat: 27838. One-meter-resolution commercial imaging satellite. Orbview-3 used an Orbital Leostar bus and had a launch mass of 304 kg (including ca. 50 kg of hydrazine for orbit raising and the 66 kg science instrument). Launch had been delayed from September 2002, April 30, May 9 and 23

• Scisat 1 Nation: Canada. Mass: 260 kg (570 lb). Class: Ozone Monitoring. Spacecraft: SCISAT. Agency: Canadian Space Agency. Perigee: 642 km (398 mi). Apogee: 654 km (406 mi). Inclination: 73.90 deg. Period: 97.70 min. COSPAR: 2003-036A. USAF Sat Cat: 27858. Canadian Space Agency spacecraft which carried the ACE-FTS spectrometer to study the chemistry of the upper troposphere and stratosphere and the MAESTRO instrument to study ozone and aerosol levels in the atmosphere. Originally to have launched June 25, 2002. Delayed five more times.

• DART Nation: USA. Mass: 360 kg (790 lb). Class: Technology. Type: Rendezvous. Spacecraft: DART. Agency: NASA. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences. Perigee: 395 km (245 mi). Apogee: 747 km (464 mi). Inclination: 96.60 deg. Period: 96.10 min. COSPAR: 2005-014A. USAF Sat Cat: 28642. Delayed from April 15; October 18, 19, 26, 28; Nov. 4, 9 and 11; 2004, and March 2, 2005. Autonomous Rendezvous Technology mission, planned to guide itself to within a few metres of a US satellite. On April 16, DART closed within 100 m of the MUBLCOM satellite, then evidently began a series of out-of-control maneuvers resulting in an in-space collission and MUBLCOM being bumped into a 3 to 5 km higher orbit. Remarkably both satellites continued to function. DART then detected that it was running unexpectedly low on nitrogen cold gas used for orientation. Its autonomous software aborted further rendezvous operations and the DART was deorbited shortly thereafter.

• ST5-A Nation: USA. Mass: 22 kg (48 lb). Class: Technology. Agency: NASA/GSFC. Manufacturer: NASA/GSFC. Perigee: 302 km (187 mi). Apogee: 4,539 km (2,820 mi). Inclination: 105.60 deg. Period: 136.90 min. COSPAR: 2006-008A. USAF Sat Cat: 28980. Space Technology 5 was one of NASA's New Millenium Program projects. It consisted of three small spacecraft, each a half meter in each dimension, with a small extensible magnetometer boom. Study of the magnetosphere was however secondary to the Nanosat Constellation Trailblazer technology mission. This was to demonstrate fully functional nanosatellites, which included a cold gas microthruster and miniaturized telemetry/command and power systems. The Pegasus rocket was dropped from the L-1011 carrier aircraft over the Pacific at 123 deg W x 36 deg N.

• ST5-B Nation: USA. Mass: 22 kg (48 lb). Class: Technology. Agency: NASA/GSFC. Manufacturer: NASA/GSFC. Perigee: 301 km (187 mi). Apogee: 4,540 km (2,820 mi). Inclination: 105.60 deg. Period: 136.90 min. COSPAR: 2006-008B. USAF Sat Cat: 28981.

• ST5-C Nation: USA. Mass: 22 kg (48 lb). Class: Technology. Agency: NASA/GSFC. Manufacturer: NASA/GSFC. Perigee: 303 km (188 mi). Apogee: 4,539 km (2,820 mi). Inclination: 105.60 deg. Period: 136.90 min. COSPAR: 2006-008C. USAF Sat Cat: 28982.

• AIM Nation: USA. Mass: 150 kg (330 lb). Spacecraft: RS-300. Agency: NASA, Hampton U. Manufacturer: OSC, Ball. Perigee: 584 km (362 mi). Apogee: 602 km (374 mi). Inclination: 97.80 deg. Period: 96.50 min. COSPAR: 2007-015A. USAF Sat Cat: 31304. NASA Small Explorer mission, for Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere. AIM carried three scientific instruments to study polar mesospheric clouds: a solar occultation camera, an ultraviolet imager, and a cosmic dust experiment.

• McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.

• Isakowitz, Steven J,, International Reference to Space Launch Systems Second Edition, AIAA, Washington DC, 1991 (succeeded by 2000 edition). ISBN: 1563473534. Superseded by the later editions. More at amazon.com...

• Wilson, Andrew, editor,, Jane's/Interavia Space Directory, Jane's Information Group, Coulsdon, Surrey, 1992 et al. ISBN: 0710618107. The most comprehensive source of information for current space projects. Too expensive for human beings and most libraries. More at amazon.com...

• Isakowitz, Steven J, Hopkins, Joshua B, and Hopkins, Joseph P, International Reference to Space Launch Systems, AIAA, Washington DC, 2004. ISBN: 156347591X. The best reference on launch vehicles ever produced. More at amazon.com...