FORTÉ

USA

Spacecraft n°:

US spacecraft n°:

Fast On-orbit Recording of Transient Events - Also called P94-1

Launch data:

Designation:	24920 / 97047A
Launch date	29 Aug 1997
Launch site	Va, L-1011, RW30/12
Launch vehicle	Pegasus-XL (#17)
Mission	Government: Earth Observation
Intermediate LEO Earth orbit:
Perigee / Apogee	800 x 833 km
Eccentricity	2,30E-03
Inclination	69.9 deg
Period	101.22 min
Perigee/Apogee	800 km
Inclination	70°
Period	101 min

Advanced radio frequency (RF) impulse detection and characterization experiment. Emphasis is on the measurement of electromagnetic pulses (EMP), primarily due to lightning, within a noise environment dominated by continuous wave (CW) carriers, such as TV and FM stations. Optical sensors will augment the RF system in characterizing lightning events. A principal goal is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the correlation between the optical flash and the very high frequency (VHF) emissions from lightning.

Specifications:

Prime contractor	Los Alamos National Laboratory & Sandia National Lab.
Platform
Operator	Los Alamos National Labs/DOE
Mass at launch	215 kg
Dry Mass	41 kg
Dimension
Solar array
Stabilization	3-axis
DC power	55 W
Design lifetime	3 yrs - still active

Electronic equipment for detecting, analyzing and recording bursts of radio energy (nuclear tests) from near Earth's surface (nonproliferation); study lightning; plastic satellite bus.
First US satellite entirely made of composite materials (the 41 kg structure was built by Composite Optics). It will feature a 10.7 m antenna

RF system: receiver covering 30-300 MHz and high speed digitizers

Optical system: coarse imager 10 x 10 km resolution

Beacon: 401.565 MHz, downlink: 2215.5 MHz

Ref: #15, #226 - update: 03.11.10