OCSE

USA

Optical Calibration Sphere Experiment

Launch data:

Designation	26062 / 00004B
Launch date	27 Jan 2000 - 03:03 UT
Launch site	Va, SLC-8
Launch vehicle	Minotaur (#1)
Mission	Technology
Earth orbit on Jan 27.24, 2000:
Perigee / Apogee	750 x 802 km
Eccentricity	0.004
Inclination	100.22°
Period	100.37 min

Will be used to calibrer lasers at AFRL Starfire Optical Range

Specifications

Manufacturer	L'Garde Inc
Platform	OCSE
Mass at launch	22 kg
Mass in orbit
Basic shape	Inflated sphere
Dimension	3.5 m diameter (before inflation: 0.48 m long x 0.41 m diameter)
Solar array
Stabilization
DC power
Design lifetime

Decay:

Out of service:
Cause:
Descent date:	05 Mar 2001
Lifetime:	403 days

Mission details:

OCSE is the Optical Calibration Sphere Experiment, a 3.5m diameter inflatable sphere built by L'Garde Inc. for calibrating the lasers at the AFRL Starfire Optical Range. Mass of OCSE plus container is 22 kg. The 0.48m long 0.41m diameter OCSE canister was ejected from the JAWSAT stack; 42 seconds later, with the canister clear of the other payloads, the canister door opened and 10 seconds after that inflation of the sphere began. The canister remains attached to the inflated sphere. Once inflated, the sphere's material becomes rigidized.

Ref: #7(JR419), #15, #206 - update: 10.07.11