NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

DSCS IIIB-13 & Falcon Gold

Launch Time
Sat Oct 25, 1997 00:46 UTC

Rocket

Atlas IIA
Image Credit: USAF or NASA
Lockheed
Status: Retired
Liftoff Thrust: 2,479 kN
Payload to LEO: 7,316 kg
Payload to GTO: 3,180 kg
Stages: 2
Strap-ons: 0
Rocket Height: 47.5 m

Mission Details

DSCS IIIB-13

DSCS-3 (Defense Satellite Communications System 3) are geostationary communications satellites, which provide a robust anti-jam, nuclear hardened capability that supports Department of Defense (DoD) worldwide requirements, White House and Diplomatic communications. They are the follow-on generation of the DSCS-2 satellites.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 1,235.0 kg
Geostationary Earth Orbit

Falcon Gold

Falcon Gold was an US Air Force Academy experiment to demonstrate use of GPS navigation in orbits above the GPS constellation.

Payloads: 1

Location

SLC-36A, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA

Stats

1997

67th orbital launch attempt

Atlas II

32nd mission
6th mission of 1997
32nd successful mission