NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

Trumpet 1 (USA-103)

Launch Time
Tue May 03, 1994 15:55 UTC

Rocket

Titan IV(401)A
Martin Marietta
Status: Retired
Liftoff Thrust: 14,200 kN
Stages: 3
Strap-ons: 2
Rocket Height: 63.0 m
Fairing Diameter: 5.1 m

Mission Details

Trumpet 1 (USA-103)

Trumpet signal intelligence satellites were launched by Titan-4(01)A Centaur-T into highly elliptic Molniya-type orbits. In their elliptical orbits they would move very slowly over the northern hemisphere for most of their orbital period, allowing interception of microwave line-of-sight communications beams. Since they would move slowly through the beams during their orbit, a constellation of such satellites was required to monitor Soviet communications throughout the day.

Location

SLC-41, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA

Stats

1994

27th orbital launch attempt

Titan IV

9th mission
2nd mission of 1994
8th successful mission
2nd consecutive successful mission