Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

09:47:00

Wednesday August 21, 1996

Mission Details

FAST (Fast Auroral Snapshot Explorer)

Wiki

FAST was designed to observe and measure the plasma physics of the auroral phenomena which occur around both of Earth's poles. While its Electric Field Experiment failed around 2002, all other instruments continued to operate normally until science operations were ended on May 1, 2009.

Low Earth Orbit

1 Payload

191 kilograms

Rocket

Active
Pegasus XL

Active Since 1994

Northrop Grumman logo

Agency

Northrop

Price

$40.00 million

Rocket

Height: 17.6m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 443 kg

Liftoff Thrust

561 Kilonewtons

Fairing

Diameter: 1.15m

Height: 2.13m

Stages

4

Launch Site

Stargazer

Vandenberg SFB, California, USA

Fastest Turnaround

46 days 5 hours

Stats

Pegasus


13th

Mission

4th

Mission of 1996

1996


53rd

Orbital launch attempt