Starlette

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

16:35:00

Thursday February 6, 1975

Mission Details

Launch Notes

First flight of a Diamant BP4.

Starlette

Wiki

Starlette (Satellite de Taille Adaptée avec Réflecteurs Laser pour les Études de la Terre) and Stella are virtually identical French passive satellites launched by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) in 1975 and 1993, respectively. They are dedicated to geodetic and geophysical studies with SLR (Satellite Laser Ranging). Their small size compared to their mass gives them a much larger sensitivity to the gravitational attraction than to the surface forces due either to the residual atmosphere at the satellite or to radiation pressure. Both Stella and Starlette are covered with 60 identical retroreflectors.

Low Earth Orbit

1 Payload

48 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
Diamant BP4

Active in 1975

Aérospatiale logo

Manufacturer

Aérospatiale

Rocket

Height: 21.64m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 150 kg

GTO: 0 kg

Liftoff Thrust

317 Kilonewtons

Fairing

Diameter: 1.45m

Height: 4.5m

Stages

3

Launch Site

ELD

Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana, France

Fastest Turnaround

99 days 17 hours

Stats

Diamant


10th

Mission

1st

Mission of 1975

1975


10th

Orbital launch attempt