Re: Titan 4 Launched

pchien@ids.net
Tue, 11 Jul 1995 00:07:58 -0400

>A Titan 4/Centaur was just launched from KSC, FL, USA. Launch time was
>7/10/95 1238 UTC. It appears to be going into a high inclination orbit.

The Air Force confirmed before the launch that the azimuth was 37.9 degrees,=
 which translates into an orbit with an initial inclination of 57.3 degrees=
 - a slightly higher inclination than what is normally considered safe, but=
 certainly not the highest inclinatio mission from the Cape.

It's likely that the ultimate spacecraft orbit is a 12 hour Molniya with a=
 63.4 degree inclination.  The problem is a Titan IV-Centaur combination has=
 the capability to put over 10,000 lbs. into that orbit - far beyond the=
 capacity of the shuttle (STS-28, STS-53) or the Titan 34D combination.

So what could be so large?  A third-generation SDS satellite?  An extremely=
 gigantic version of Jumpseat?

Or is the rumor true that the Air Force actually put one of the UFOs it=
 captured in the 1960s on board because the secret was close to getting=
 revealed, and they wanted to put it back in space where it belongs?  ;)

(And if the above rumor is not true I better not keep spreading it).

Stats:

Titan IV (K-19)/TC-08
Mission number R-7587

first Centaur MECO at 14 minutes 15 seconds
(other Centaur flight events are classified)


Philip Chien, Earth News - space writer and consultant  PCHIEN@IDS.NET
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