DSCS IIIB-13 & Falcon Gold

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

00:46:00

Saturday October 25, 1997

Watch Replay

24/7 Coverage

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.

Geostationary Earth Orbit

1 Payload

1,235 kilograms

Falcon Gold

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

1 Payload

Rocket

Retired
Atlas IIA

Active 1992 to 2002

Lockheed Martin logo

Agency

Lockheed

Rocket

Height: 47.5m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 7,316 kg

GTO: 3,180 kg

Liftoff Thrust

2,479 Kilonewtons

Stages

2

Launch Site

SLC-36A

Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA

Fastest Turnaround

46 days 2 hours

Stats

Atlas II


32nd

Mission

6th

Mission of 1997

1997


67th

Orbital launch attempt