STSS-ATRR

Launch data: Designation  34903 / 09023A Launch date  05 May 2009 - 20:24 UT Launch site  Va, SLC-2W Launch vehicle  Delta-7920-10C Mission  Military: Test technologies for early warning sat. Sun-Synchronous LEO orbit on May 05.96: Perigee / Apogee  867 x 878 km Eccentricity  8.28E-04 Inclination  98.95 deg Period  102.41 min

Spacecraft data:

Mission details:

• The Space Tracking and Surveillance System - Advanced Technology Risk Reduction satellite is a payload launched for the Missile Defense Agency. It is a research-and-development mission to test technologies for early warning satellites. It has been reported that the satellite was built by Northrop Grumman Space Technology as the prime contractor, with the satellite platform being a General Dynamics SA-200HP. Depictions of the satellite show that it has a box-shaped body and two vanes of solar panels.
• The orbital data from this mission are classified and the data shown above are based upon observations by unofficial satellite observers. Detect and track missile flights.
• The Delta 7920-10C took off at 20:24 UTC and reached a transfer orbit of around 165 x 871 km at 20:34 UTC. The second stage restarted at 21:17 UTC over around 44E 26S to enter the 867 x 878 km target orbit, and then separated from the payload at 21:22 UTC. Following an evasive burn at 21:54 UTC and a depletion burn at 22:07 UTC over 148W 30N, the empty stage was left in a retrograde orbit of about 250 x 900 km x 112.8 deg, decaying to 232 x 802 km x 112.6 deg by May 10.