Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
10:29:00
Tuesday February 23, 1999
The Advanced Research and Global Observation Satellite (ARGOS), not to be confused with the Argos System which employs mostly NOAA satellites, was launched on 23 Feb 1999 carrying nine payloads for research and development missions by nine separate researchers. The mission terminated on 31 July 2003.
Polar Orbit
9 Payloads
2,450 kilograms
Ørsted is Denmark's first satellite, named after Hans Christian Ørsted (1777–1851), a Danish physicist and professor at the University of Copenhagen. It is in an almost-sun synchronous low Earth orbit.
Sun-Synchronous Orbit
1 Payload
61 kilograms
The Stellenbosch UNiversity SATellite (SUNSAT) is the first miniaturized satellite designed and manufactured in South Africa. It was launched aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base on 23 February 1999. Sunsat was built by post-graduate engineering students at the University of Stellenbosch. Its AMSAT designation was SO-35 (Sunsat Oscar 35).
Polar Orbit
1 Payload
64 kilograms
Agency
BoeingRocket
Height: 38.9m
Payload to Orbit
LEO: 4,800 kg
Liftoff Thrust
3,511 Kilonewtons
Fairing
Diameter: 3m
Height: 8.9m
Stages
2
Strap-ons
9
80th
Mission
3rd
Mission of 1999
8th
Orbital launch attempt