Demosat

Sea Launch

Sea Launch Demonstration Satellite

Launch data:

Designation 25661 / 99014A
Launch date 28 Mar 1999
Launch site Odyssey, POR
Launch vehicleZenit-3SL (#31)
MissionExperimental
Perigee/Apogee  
Inclination  
Period  

1e Sea Launch
During pre-launch preparations, the Odyssey (located at 154°W and 0°N) was partially submerged for added stability. The rocket, with payload, then was withdrawn from its hangar on the platform, lifted into a vertical position, fuelled with kerosene and liquid oxygen (LOX), and launched. The fuelling and launch was completely automated and co-ordinated from the Sea Launch Commander.

The first two stages of the Zenit are built by Yuhznoe in the Ukraine. The third stage is a Blok DM-SL, built by Energiya/Kaliningrad and based on the Blok DM series used for Proton upper stages. Its first burn placed it in a 180 x 735 km x 1.2 deg parking orbit 13 min after launch, followed by a second burn 47 min after launch to deliver DemoSat to a 638 x 36064 km x 1.2 deg geostationary transfer orbit. A third DM-SL burn is then expected to lower the orbit for a quick reentry.

The rocket has a specific guidance computer (not the standard Zenit one)

Specifications

Prime contractor Boeing Commercial Space
Platform HS-702
Mass at launch 4500 kg
Mass in orbit  
Dimension  
Solar array  
Stabilization  
DC power  
Design lifetime  

Carries 130 sensors. Telemetry relayed in real time directly and by TDRS

Mission description:

Ref.: #15, #30 - update: 28.01.06 Home