Atlas 3B maiden flight a success
Posted: Thu, Feb 21, 2002, 11:04 AM ET (1604 GMT)
Lockheed Martin's Atlas 3B booster successfully carried out its maiden flight Thursday morning, launching a direct broadcasting satellite for EchoStar. The rocket lifted off from Pad 36B at Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 7:43 am EST (1243 GMT), 30 minutes later than planned because of two minor technical problems. The booster's payload, the EchoStar 7 satellite, separated from the Centaur upper stage 28 minutes after liftoff, after being placed into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. EchoStar 7, a Lockheed Martin A2100 AX spacecraft, will take over for the existing EchoStar 4 satellite and provide local television programming for customers in Alaska and Hawaii. The launch was the second for the Atlas 3 family, after the May 2000 launch of an Atlas 3A. The Atlas 3B is similar to the 3A but uses a stretched Centaur upper stage with two engines for improved performance.
Lockheed Martin's Atlas 3B booster successfully carried out its maiden flight Thursday morning, launching a direct broadcasting satellite for EchoStar. The rocket lifted off from Pad 36B at Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 7:43 am EST (1243 GMT), 30 minutes later than planned because of two minor technical problems. The booster's payload, the EchoStar 7 satellite, separated from the Centaur upper stage 28 minutes after liftoff, after being placed into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. EchoStar 7, a Lockheed Martin A2100 AX spacecraft, will take over for the existing EchoStar 4 satellite and provide local television programming for customers in Alaska and Hawaii. The launch was the second for the Atlas 3 family, after the May 2000 launch of an Atlas 3A. The Atlas 3B is similar to the 3A but uses a stretched Centaur upper stage with two engines for improved performance.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
SpaceX sets Nov. 18 launch date for sixth Starship test flight
Posted: Sat, Nov 9 9:57 AM ET (1457 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Monday, November 18
European Startup Wins French, German Support to Build Spaceship
Bloomberg News — 1:31 am ET (0631 GMT) How likely is it that Colorado loses Space Command under Trump?
Colorado Sun — 1:30 am ET (0630 GMT) A six-step plan for keeping Space Command in Colorado
Colorado Springs Gazette — 1:29 am ET (0629 GMT) Japan confirms US Space Force to launch unit in Tokyo in Dec.
Mainichi Daily News — 1:29 am ET (0629 GMT) OC500 2024: Michael Colglazier
Orange County (CA) Business Journal — 1:26 am ET (0626 GMT) |
