* Astronomy

The  Australian  outback finally  revealed a nearly  two-decades-old  secret  in  July when  a launch  vehicle  rocket motor  casing was  found during  a  routine muster  of   cattle  on  a  three-million-acre pastoral property.  First spotted by Mr. Arthur Taylor while flying a Cessna aircraft in  the  muster  operation,  the  casing  appeared in  relatively good condition and did not  seem  to  be  very  old.   Mr. Michael White forwarded  numerous  photos  of   the  object  to the  NASA  Orbital  Debris  Program  Office, including one with a clear serial number next to the nozzle attachment point.
Using  the  serial number, NASA Kennedy Space Centre personnel were  able  to  trace  the motor casing  to a Delta 2  launch vehicle used on 12 June 1990 to deliver the Indian INSAT-1D geosynchronous  spacecraft  from  the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.  This solid rocket  motor  served  as  the  launch  vehicles third  stage  (U.S.  Satellite  Number  20645, International  Designator  1990-051C),  which carried the payload from a low altitude parking orbit  into  a geosynchronous  transfer  orbit  of  135  km  by  39,750  km with  an  inclination  of  27.2 degrees.   Re-entry of  the stage occurred a few months later. The object joins similar solid rocket motor casings  found  in  Saudi  Arabia,  Thailand,  and Argentina during the past several years.

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