Delta II 6920-8 | LACE & RME (USA-51) & (USA-52)

Status

Success

LACE & RME (USA-51) & (USA-52)

Launch Time
Wed Feb 14, 1990 16:15 UTC

Rocket

Delta II 6920-8

Image Credit: USAF or NASA

Boeing

Status: Retired

Liftoff Thrust: 3,481 kN

Payload to LEO: 3,983 kg

Stages: 2

Strap-ons: 9

Rocket Height: 38.1 m

Fairing Diameter: 2.4 m

Fairing Height: 8.49 m

Details

Mission Details

LACE (USA-51)

LACE (Low-Power Atmospheric Compensation Experiment), also Losat-L (Low Altitude Satellite)carried visible, infrared and phased sensors to measure distortions in laser beams targeting it from earth.

Payloads: 1

Total Mass: 1,430.0 kg

Low Earth Orbit

RME (USA-52)

RME (Relay Mirror Experiment), also Losat-R (Low Altitude Satellite), was one element of an SDI effort to validate the technology needed to perform pointing, tracking, and laser beam relay functions for a ballistic missile defense system. The experiment directed a 1.064-micron laser beam emitted from one ground site to a mirror orbiting at 450 km altitude, and then to a ground-based target. The beam traveled over 1200 km.

Payloads: 1

Total Mass: 1,040.0 kg

Low Earth Orbit

Location

SLC-17B, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA

Wiki

Stats

1990

15th orbital launch attempt

Delta II

7th mission

2nd mission of 1990

7th successful mission