* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

Mitex Satellites

Blobrana · L

RE: Mitex Delta 2 Launch

Blobrana · L

Boeing Press Release:
A Boeing Delta II launch vehicle today successfully carried into orbit an experimental payload for the joint U.S. Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), U.S. Air Force and U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) team.

Liftoff of the Delta II 7925-9.5 configuration vehicle occurred at 6:15 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 17A at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The payload was successfully deployed approximately 30 minutes later.
Jointly developed by DARPA, the Air Force and the Navy, the Micro-Satellite Technology Experiment (MiTEx) is an experimental payload that will help identify, integrate, test and evaluate small satellite technologies. The NRL provided the upper stage used to propel MiTEx into geosynchronous orbit.

"Today's mission was a great team effort, involving talented people from DARPA, the Air Force, the launch range, The Aerospace Corporation and our suppliers, as well as the professionals on the Delta program. The team faced many challenges, but maintained its focus on quality and teamwork throughout the mission" - Dan Collins, vice president of Boeing Launch Systems.

Today's launch also marked the 250th Aerojet-supported Delta launch. Aerojet provided the second stage AJ10-118K engine. Other major Delta II hardware elements are the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-27A main engine, nine Alliant Techsystems GEM 40 solid rocket motors and the Boeing 9.5-foot diameter payload fairing.
The next Delta mission will be the first West Coast flight of a Boeing Delta IV launch vehicle, carrying a payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office from Space Launch Complex 6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, later this month.

Aerojet Press Release:
Aerojet, a GenCorp Inc. company, provided the second stage engine for The Boeing Company's Delta 2 rocket as it launched the Micro-Satellite Technology Experiment (MITEX) for the Department of Defence today from Cape Canaveral, Fla. Today's launch was the 250th Delta launch supported by Aerojet's reliable and versatile second stage storable liquid rocket engines with 100 percent mission success. The experimental military mission features two small satellites and a Navy-developed fourth stage headed for geosynchronous orbit. The launch occurred at 6:15 p.m. EDT.
Aerojet's second stage liquid rocket engine owes its longevity to a robust design and the use of proven components that have evolved over the engine's lifetime to enhance performance and meet customer requirements. The 9,800 lbs. of thrust provided by the Aerojet second stage engine propels the satellite to achieve gravitational escape velocity, placing it into the proper orbit. Aerojet's second stage engine has also flown on Japan's N-II launch vehicles as well as the third stage for the U.S. Air Force Titan.

"Aerojet is proud to be an important contributor in support of Boeing's Delta Program. The continuing success of Aerojet engines has played an important role in NASA space exploration missions, Air Force GPS constellation placement and many commercial ventures. With this major milestone of 250 launches with 100 percent mission success, Aerojet continues to demonstrate its technical leadership and product reliability" - Scott Neish, Aerojet President.

Aerojet is currently under contract with the Boeing Company to build the second stage engine and provide launch and field support services for the U.S. Air Force, NASA and commercial satellite launch customers. The Boeing Delta 2 rocket launched the MITEX for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Credit Craig Bailey

Blobrana · L

A Delta 2 rocket lifted off out of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Wednesday night carrying a military satellite experiment.

The Delta 2 rocket apparently performed as planned and the spacecraft's orbit appeared to be on target. The spacecraft successfully separated from the launch vehicle at 6:45 p.m. EDT.
The launch had been briefly delayed by a minor problem with a heater on the spacecraft and later, when range safety had to hustle to get a boater to move out of the hazard area, where it might have been endangered by the falling solid rocket boosters, according to the Flame Trench Web log.

See more

Blobrana · L

Mission control have acquired radio contact with the MiTEx payload.
Both micro-satellites are in a highly elliptical geosynchronous transfer orbit.
The Navy fourth stage has still to reach geostationary orbit.

Blobrana · L

The Delta 2 rocket has launched the MiTEx satellites on schedule.

Blobrana · L

The launch of the Delta 2 with the MITEX spacecrafts from the SLC-17A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, has been rescheduled to 21:34-01:34 GMT (5:34-9:34 p.m. EDT), June 21st, 2006.

Web casts links for MiTEx launch :
Real Player Link
Windows Media Player Link

Blobrana · L

The Delta rocket will deliver the MiTEx satellites the into an initial orbit with a high point of 248 kilometres and low point of 169 kilometres. The second stage will shut down at T+plus 10 minutes, 22 seconds.

After a 12 minutes coast, the engine will re-started for a 73-second burn to reach an intermediate orbit with a high point of 2220 kilometres and low point of 169 kilometres. Thrusters on the side of the third stage will spin up the rocket, in preparation for separation. The two stages split at T+plus 23 minutes, 31 seconds, followed 37 seconds later by ignition of the solid-fuel third stage for its 86-second burn.
The third stage targets a highly elliptical geosynchronous transfer orbit with a high point of 36,194 kilometres, low point of 185 kilometres and inclination of 25.24 degrees to the equator.

At T+plus 30 minutes and 24 seconds while cruising 603 kilometres above south-central Africa, the third stage releases from the MiTEx upper stage with its still-attached satellites. That will complete the Delta 2 rocket's role in the MiTEx mission.
The classified MiTEx mission is to evaluate the usefulness of small satellite technologies and the prototype upper stage to test future military programs. Developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, the experimental motor will put several new technologies to the test including:

* Platinum/rhodium bi-propellant attitude control thrusters
* High-performance coated columbium delta-V thruster
* Commercial off-the-shelf manual valve tested to aerospace standards
* Light-weight Inconel-718 composite overwrap pressure vessels
* Lightweight titanium propellant tanks with internal propellant management devices
* Triple junction solar cells
* Lithium-ion batteries
* A low-cost/high-performance star tracker

The stage will ferry the two MiTEx satellites from the egg-shaped geosynchronous transfer orbit reached by the Delta 2 rocket to the circular geostationary orbit 35,888 kilometres above the equator.
The two MiTEx spacecrafts weigh about 227 kilograms each. Orbital Sciences built one satellite and Lockheed Martin the other.

-- Edited by Blobrana at 03:22, 2006-06-18

Blobrana · L

The launch has been has delayed due to a "minor technical problem".

Liftoff has been rescheduled for the 21st June, 2006.
Wednesday's weather forecast predicts a 70 percent chance of acceptable conditions.

Blobrana · L

The experimental military Microsatellite Technology Experiment (MITEX) for the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) consists of two micro satellites and a Navy-developed fourth stage.
The launch will be carried out by the U.S. Air Force

The four hour launch window opens up at 21:34 GMT (5:34-9:34 p.m. EDT)