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Status

Success

Earlybird 1

Launch Time
Wed Dec 24, 1997 13:32 UTC

First commercial launch from the Svobodniy Cosmodrome.

Rocket

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MITT

Status: Retired

Liftoff Thrust: 890 kN

Payload to LEO: 532 kg

Payload to GTO: 0 kg

Stages: 4

Strap-ons: 0

Rocket Height: 22.74 m

Fairing Diameter: 1.33 m

Fairing Height: 3.34 m

Details

Mission Details

Earlybird 1

Earlybird 1 was an imaging satellite developed for the EarthWatch, Inc remote sensing company. It contained a panchronmatic (93 m resolution) and a multispectral scanner (15 m resolution). The Vector receiver was used for on-board attitude, positioning, and timing, and the Viceroy for on-board positioning and timing. Both receivers provided raw psuedorange and carrier phase data for precise post processed orbit determination. Earlybird 1 was the first commercial satellite to be launched from the Svobodniy Cosmodrome.

Payloads: 1

Total Mass: 317.0 kg

Sun-Synchronous Orbit

Wiki

Location

Site 5, Svobodny Cosmodrome, Russia

Stats

1997

88th orbital launch attempt

Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology

4th mission

2nd mission of 1997

2nd successful mission

2nd consecutive successful mission

4th mission

2nd mission of 1997

2nd successful mission

2nd consecutive successful mission