Aug 26 1975
From The Space Library
26 August-3 September. NASA launched Symphonie 2, France and West Germany's second experimental communications satellite at 9:42 pin EDT 26 Aug. from Eastern Test Range. A three-stage thrust-augmented Thor-Delta launch vehicle boosted the spacecraft into a synchronous transfer orbit with a 37 974-km apogee, 413-km perigee, 678:3-min period, and 13.2° inclination. On 29 Aug. at 11:48 am EDT, ground controllers activated the onboard liquid-fueled apogee motor to circularize the. orbit at geosynchronous altitude. By 31 Aug. Symphonie 2 was in an orbit with a 35 870-km apogee, 35 364-km perigee, 23-hr 47-min period, and 0.0° inclination. NASA's primary objective for the mission-to launch the Symphonie 2 into a synchronous transfer orbit with sufficient accuracy to enable the satellite to accomplish its operational mission-had been successfully completed, and the mission was adjudged successful on 3 Sept.
When finally positioned at 11.5° west longitude over the equator, the 402-kg Symphonie 2 would provide 1200 telephone, 8 voice, and 2 TV channels for experimental communications between Europe and the African and South American continents.
Second of two experimental comsats developed by the French-West German Consortium Industriel France-Allemand pour le Satellite Symphonie (CIFAS), under the direction of Germany's Gesellschaft für Weltraumforschung GFW and France's Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (ONES), Symphonie 2 would expand the French-West German experimental satellite TV and telegraph communications program begun with the launch of Symphonie 1 on 18 Dec. 1974.
In October 1973 NASA had agreed to provide the launch vehicle and services on a cost-reimbursable basis, and in June 1974 had signed a launch services contract with the consortium. Estimated cost of hardware and services was $12 million. Goddard Space Flight Center, under the direction of the Office of Space Science, was responsible for the launch vehicle and for limited tracking during initial activities. When the satellite separated from the vehicle third stage, the 'Symphonie Project Operations Group in France and West Germany would assume operational responsibility. (NASA MORs S-492-204-75-02, 25 July, 3 Sept; GSFC SSR, 31 Aug 75; GSFC Wkly SSR, 21-27 Aug 75; NASA Release 75-234)
A prototype of the YC-15 advanced medium short-takeoff-and-landing (AMST) cargo transport successfully completed its first flight. Airborne for 2 hr 26 min, the YC-15 was flown from Long Beach municipal airport to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., achieving a peak altitude of 5500 m and a top speed of 485 kph. During the flight the pilots evaluated the aircraft's flight controls, handling and slow-speed-flight qualities, and speed advance to the assigned maximum.
Built by McDonnell Douglas Corp. for the Air Force, the YC-15 was the first large transport aircraft to include both the NASA-developed supercritical wing for improved flight performance and reduced fuel consumption, and externally blown flaps for powered lift. This aircraft and a second nearing completion would be evaluated, during a 12-mo flight-test program, against established Air Force performance goals and against two YC-14 prototype AMSTs built by Boeing Co. (Fink, Av Wk, 11 Aug 75, 18-20; NYT, 27 Aug 75, 58; AFSC Newsreview, 16 Oct 75, 16)
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