ICO 2

Launch data: Designation 26857 / 01026A Launch date 19 Jun 2001 - 04:41:02 UT Launch site  CC, SLC-36B Launch vehicle Atlas-2AS (AC-156 / #132) Mission Commercial: Communications MEO Earth orbit on: Perigee / Apogee  10103 x 10126 km Eccentricity  6,98E-04 Inclination  44.9 deg Period  351.31 min

An artist's concept of ICO satellite. Photo: Boeing

Mission details:

• Liftoff from pad 36B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida occurred on schedule at 12:41 a.m. EDT (0441 GMT) after a smooth countdown.
• The Atlas pierced the nighttime sky and headed on a northeastward track, paralleling the Eastern Seaboard.
• The launch lasted nearly an hour and 53 minutes before the ICO F-2 satellite was released from the Centaur upper stage directly into its 5,460 nautical mile circular Medium Earth Orbit. Separation occurred above the Indian Ocean southwest of Australia.
• In Sep 2001, the satellite was announced as functionning nominaly.