On Tue, 19 Jun 2001, Harro Zimmer wrote:
> But: ICO F2 itself as a single object was not in the transfer orbit. The
> separation from the Centaur cames at 01:53:43 MET in the final orbit
> ( MM 4.10...) about 3 minutes after MECO 2.
You have a parallel situation with the launches of satellites aboard the
four-stage Proton-K. The transfer orbit of the fourth stage + payload
usually appears under the international designator of the
_payload_. Check out Astra 2C. The fourth stage only appears under its
own designator once it has separated from the satellite.
We can argue forever whether the transfer orbits should be assigned to the
payload or the final stage rocket, but USSPACECOM seems to have made the
decision that such orbits should appear under the payload's ID and
catalogue number.
Also, the orbit of the Centaur is slightly below that of ICO 2. Looking
back at the data supplied for the planned ICO 1 launch profile last year,
after separating from the satellite the Blok DM-SL was planned to do a
burn to depletion to bring the orbit _below_ the deployment orbit for the
satellite. We see the same thing with the Centaur on the ICO 2 mission.
Phillip Clark
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Phillip S Clark 22 Winterbourne Close
Molniya Space Consultancy Hastings
Compiler/Publisher, Worldwide Satellite Launches E Sussex TN34 1XG
U.K.
Specialist in "space archeology" - the older and more obscure the more
interesting it is !
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