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Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
16:35:00
Thursday February 6, 1975
First flight of a Diamant BP4.
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
Manufacturer
AérospatialeRocket
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
10th
Mission
1st
Mission of 1975
10th
Orbital launch attempt