Nov 15 1974
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(New page: NASA launched three satellites---Noaa 4 (ITOS-G) meteorological satellite for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Intasat ionospheric satellite for Spain, and Amsat Oscar ...)
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NASA launched three satellites---Noaa 4 (ITOS-G) meteorological satellite for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Intasat ionospheric satellite for Spain, and Amsat Oscar 7 amateur radio communications satellite-from Western Test Range at 9:11 am PST on one Thor-Delta launch vehicle. The three spacecraft entered almost identical, near-to-planned, polar orbits. It was the first triple launch for a Thor-Delta.
Noaa 4 entered orbit with a 1458-km apogee, 1444-km perigee, 115- min period, and 101.7° inclination, as the fourth operational Improved Tiros Operational Satellite in the joint NASA and Dept. of Commerce program to provide global cloud-cover observations. Delayed 29 Oct. by faulty electrical connectors on the Thor-Delta and again 13 Nov. when a 2nd-stage hydraulic pump posed a problem, the launch went smoothly on 15 Nov. Noaa 4 joined Noaa 2, launched 15 Oct. 1972, and Noaa 3, launched 6 Nov. 1973.
The 345-kg, three-axis-stabilized, earth-oriented satellite moved in a circular, near-polar, sun-synchronous orbit. Day and night coverage of the earth's cloud cover was provided by two very-high-resolution radiometer instruments and by two scanning radiometer sensors. Two vertical-temperature-profile radiometers made continuous radiance measurements for determination of the atmospheric vertical temperature profile over every part of the earth's surface at least twice daily. One secondary sensor, the solar proton monitor, studied solar activity and its effects on the earth's environment. Goddard Space Flight Center was responsible for design, development, launch, and in-orbit checkout of the space-craft. NOAA's National Environmental Satellite Service (NESS) would take over operation of the satellite after checkout. NASA mission objectives - to launch the spacecraft into sun-synchronous orbit of sufficient accuracy for operational mission requirements and to conduct an in-orbit evaluation and checkout of the spacecraft-were accomplished and the mission was adjudged successful 24 Jan. 1976.
Intasat, the first Spanish satellite, separated from the Delta 2nd stage 24 min after launch and entered orbit with a 1468-km apogee and perigee, 115-min period, and 101.7° inclination. The 20-kg, 12-sided, magnetically oriented, spin-stabilized spacecraft would measure ionospheric electron content, irregularities, and scintillations in a joint space research program of NASA and the Institute Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial. INTA provided the spacecraft and would acquire experiment data. NASA provided pickaback launch and tracking.
Amsat Oscar 7-the Radio Amateur Satellite Corp.'s Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio-separated from the Delta 2nd stage 77 min after liftoff and entered orbit with a 1458-km apogee, 1454-km perigee, 115-min period, and 101.7° inclination. The seventh in a series begun with Oscar 1 in 1961, the solar-powered, octahedral, 29.5-kg Oscar 7 joined Oscar 6, launched 15 Oct. 1972, to serve as a space communications relay station for radio amateurs and as a teaching aid, giving first-hand experience in space science for U.S. schools. Oscar 7 was built and prepared for launch by the Radio Amateur Satellite Corp. (NASA MORS, 18 Oct 74; 19, 20, 29 Nov 74; 26 Jan 76; NASA Release 74-322; Goddard News, Dec 74; SBD, 30 Oct 74, 301; 14 Nov 74, 79)
NASA announced selection of Boeing Aerospace Co., Lockheed Missiles & Space Co., and Martin Marietta Corp. for negotiation of parallel con-tracts of about $300 000 each for preliminary design and program definition studies for the support systems module (SSM), a major element of the Large Space Telescope (LST) . The LST was scheduled for launch into orbit on the space shuttle in the 1980s. The SSM, attached to the structure housing the telescope, would provide electric power, data storage, communications, and automated attitude sensing, pointing, and control. The unit would also contain some of the elements for orbital servicing and retrieval of the telescope by the space shuttle. (NASA Release 74-308)
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