marisat-a press kit

8/7/2019 Marisat-A Press Kit

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gtsvNewsNdtional Aeronautics andSpace AdministrationWashington D C 20546AC 202 755-8370

For Release IMMEDIATE

Press Kit Project M arisat-ARELEASE NO: 76-22

ContentsGENERAL RELEASE ..................................

1-4

MARISAT-A TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM .............. 5

LAUNCH OPERATIONS ...............................5-6

STRAIGiT-EIGHT DELTA FACTS AND FIGURES............. 6-7

MAJOR DELTA/MARISAT-A FLIGHT EVENTS................8-9

..ARISAT-A/DELTA TEAM................................


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National Aeronautics and;pacco AdrninictratiolWashington. D C 20546AC 202 755-8370

For ReleaseF. Dennis Williams ImmediateHeadquarters, Washington, D.C.(Phone: 202/755-3897)

James S. LacyGoddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.(Phone: 301/982-5565)RELEASE NO: 76-22

NASA TO LAUNCH MARISAT FOR COMSAT GENERAL

NASA will launch the first satellite for a new maritimecommunications system for Cape Canaveral's Complex 17B about

Feb. 19.

Called Marisat-A the satellite will be placed in geo--synchronous orbit over the equator at 15 degrees west longi--tude above the Atlantic Ocean about 500 miles southwest ofthe coast of Liberia. A second Marisat, Marisat-B will bepositioned over the racific later this year.

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-2-The satellite system will be owned and operated by aconsortium headed by the Comsat General Corp. Comsat General

will fully reimburse NASA for the Delta 2914 launch vehicle,launch services, and related costs.

Immediately upon satisfactory completion ofthe orbital placement of the MARISAT satellitesand their operational testing, U.S. Navy andcommercial services will begin. Commercial tele-phone, telex and data communications services willbe available linking ships and offshore facilitiesat sea with shore stations interconnected into theU.S. domestic and international common carriertelephone and record/data communications networksworldwide.

Production quantities of MARISAT mobile ter-minals have been produced and many have been pur-chased or leased from COMSAT General and installedon ships flying the flag of a number of nations ofthe world. Commercial common carrier service viaMARISAT is expected to begin in early April.The U.S. Navy will be a substantial customerof the MARISAT system, using capacity at differentfrequencies fo r operational communications andpending the completion of its own Fleet SatelliteCommunications (FLEETSATCO0I) System.The U.S. Maritime Administration has enteredinto a contract with COMISAT General to provide forcertain demonstrations of various MARISAT systemuses.

A Dolta 2914 launch vehicle -will carry the 655-kilogram(4 4 45-pounct) Marisat-A into a highly elliptical transfer orbitof 36 , 7 6 2-kilometer (22,825-mile) dnced 185-:m (lS-mi)perigee, with an inclination off 2G Ciecree t o Lm ar;l'.equator.

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-3-At Lhis point, Comsat General takes over responsibility

for tracking, command and control of the satellite. Supportwill not be required from NASA's ground stations followingthe launch. A 293-kg (646-lb.) apogee kick motor, augmentedby an on-board hydrazine system, will later boost Marisat-Afrom its elliptical transfer orbit into an Earth-synchronousorbit at an altitude of 35,788 km (22,220 mi.), inclined 2.5degrees to the equator.

The spacecraft's speed in orbit at this altitude main-tains its location over the Atlantic. Small gas jets on thespacecraft keep it on station and oriented properly to receiveand retransmit signals from Earth.

The new satellite system will permit rapid, highquality communications between ships at sea and home offices.Telephozne and Telex messages may be exchanged without fearof interference or delay due to severe weather or ionosphericdisturbances that might interrupt radio traffic. The satelliteservice is expected to significantly improve the communicationof distress, safety, search and rescue, and weather rcrorts.

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-4-The Delta project and the launch are managed for

NASA's Office of Space Flight by the Goddard Space FlightCenter, Greenbelt, Md. Prime contractor for theDelta rocxet is McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company,Huntington Beach, Calif. Prime contractor for the Marisatspacecraft is Hughes Aircraft, Culver City, Calif.

(END OF GENERAL RELEASE. BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOLLOWS.)

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THE MARISAT-A TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMThe Marisat-A satellite will contain three UH1F channelsfor U.S. Government use, any or all of which can be activated ordeactivated by ground command. In addition, Marisat-A willcontain two channels, both approximately 4 M11z wide operating inthe L and C bands. One channel will translate shore-to-shipsiqnals from 6 G11z to 1.5 GHz; the other will translate ship-to-shore signals from 1.6 GlIz to 4 Gliz.Earth stations employing 42 ft. diameter antennas whichwill operate with Marislt are at Southbury, Conn. and SantaPaula, Calif. These stations will provide the fixed earth/satellite communications links in the 6/4 G1Iz bands and will

also relay tracking, telemetry and command information betweenthe satellites and the Comsat General System Control Centerlocated in Washington, D.C.The satellite UHIF channels which are completely separatefrom the L and C band channels will be used by the U.S. Governmentthrough its own terminal facilities.

LAUNCH OPERATIONSThe spacecraft will be launched from Complex 17B at theEastern Test Range, Fla., by a three stage Delta launch vehicle.

First Stage:The first stage is a McDonnell Douglas modified Thorbooster incorporating nine strap-on Thiokol solid-fuel rocketmotors. The booster is powered by a Rocketdyne engine usingliquid oxygen and liquid hydrocarbon propellants. The mainengine is gimbal-mounted to provide pitch and yaw control fromliftoff to main engine cutoff (01ECO).

Second Stage:The second stage is powered by a TRW1 liquid-fuel, pressure-fed engine that also is gimbal-mounted to provide pitch and yawcontrol through all second stage burns. A nitrogen gas systemuses eight fixed nozzles for roll control during powered and coastflight, as well as pitch and yaw control during coast and aftersecond stage cutoffs. Two fixed nozzles, fed by the propellanttank helium pressurization system, provide retrothrust after thirdstage separation. Eight minutes after Spacecraft Separation (25:16GET) the second stage will be reignited for a two second burn (33:22GFT). Data on this burn will be collected for studies related tofuture Delta missions.

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-6-Third Stare:

The third stage is the TE-364-4 spin-stabilized, solid-ropellant Thiokol motor. It is secured in a spin table mountedo the second stage. The firing of eight solid-propellantockets fixed to the spin table accomplishes spin-up of the thirdtage spacecraft assembly.Injection into Synchronous Orbit

The Delta vehicle will inject Marisat-A into a transferrbit having an apogee of 36,762 km (22,825 mi.). At this pointASA/Delta responsibilities end. Command, control, trackingnd data analysis become the responsibilities of Comsat and theomsat General Control Center, in Washington, D.C. The centerill, for example, command the apogee kick motor on the fourthpogee (for a 43-second burn) two days after launch, placing thepacecraft into a geosynchronous orbit of 35,788 km (22,220 mi.).

STRAIGHT-EIGHT DELTA FACTS AND FIGURESThe Delta has the following general characteristics:Height: 35.4 m (116 ft.) including shroudMaximum diameter: 2.4 m (8 ft.) without attached solidsiftoff weight: 133;180 kg (293,000 lbs.)Liftoff thrust: 1,741,475 Newtons (391,343 lbs.) includingstrap-on solids.First Stage -- (Liquid only) consists of an extended longank Thor, produced by McDonnell Douglas. The RS-27 enginesre produced by the Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell Interna-ional. The stage has the following characteristics:Diameter: 2.4 m (8 ft.)Height: 21.3 m (70 ft.)Propellants: RJ-1 kerosene as the fuel and liquid oxygen(LOX) as the oxidizerThrust: 912,000 N (205,000 lbs.)Burning time: about 3.48 minutesWeight: about 84,600 kg (186,000 lbs.) excluding strap-onolids.

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-7--Strap-on solids consist of nine solid propellant rocketsproduced by the Thiokol Chemical Corp., with the followingfeatures:Diameter: 0.8 m (31 in.)Height: 7 mn (23.6 ft.)Total Weight: 40,300 kg (88,650 lbs.) for nine4,475 kg (9,850 lbs.) eachThrust: 2,083,000 N (468,000 lbs.) for nine231,400 N (52,000 lbs.) for eachBurning Time: 38 secondsSecond Stage -- Produced by McDonnell Douglas AstronauticsCo., utilizing a TRW TR-201 rocket engine. Major contractorsfor the vehicle inertial guidance system located on the secondstage are Hamilton Standard and Teledyne.Propellants: Liquid, consists of aerozene 50 for the fueland nitrogen tetroxide (Ul04) for the oxidizer.Diameter: 1.5 m (5 ft.) plus 2.4 m (8 ft.) attached ringHeight: 6.4 m (21 ft.)Welght: 6,180 kg (13,596 lbs.)Thrust: about 42,923 N (9,650 lbs.)Total burning time: 335 secs.Third Stage: Thiokol Chemical Co. TE -364-4 motorPropellanLS: solidHeight: 1.4 m (4.5 ft.)Diameter: 1 m (3 ft.)Weight: 1,160 kg (2,560 lbs.)Thrust: 61,858 N (13,900 lbs.)Burning time: 44 secs.

The Delta Project is managed by NASA's Goddard Space FlightCenter, Greenbelt, Md. Launch services are provided by NASA'sKennedy Space Center, Fla. McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co.,Huntington Beach, Calif. is the Delta prime contractor and HughesAircraft Co., Culver City, Calif., built the spacecraft for ComsatGeneral.

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MARISAT-A/DELTA TEAM

Goddard Space Flight CenterDr. John F. Clark DirectorRobert S. Cooper Deputy DirectorRobert Lindley Director of ProjectsTecwyn Roberts Director of NetworksAlbert G. Ferris Director of Mission andData OperationsRobert C. Baumann Associate Director of Projectsfor DellaRobert Goss Chief, Mission Analysis andIntegration Branch, DeltaProject OfficeRobert L. Tucker Delta Mission IntegrationEngineerWilliam E. Hawkins Network Support ManagerDale Call Network DirectorRobley E. Sawyer Network Operations ManagerWayne Murry Network Operations ManagerWalter V. Frazier NASA Communications rngineerMarisat-A Program ManagementEdward J. Martin Assistant Vice President,Mobile Systems, Comsat GeneralEugene T. Jilg Assistant Vice President,Engineering, Comsat

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NASA Headquarters

John F. Yardley Associate Administratorfor Space FlightJoseph B. Mahon Director, Expendable LaunchVehicle ProgramI. T. Gillam IV Manager, Small Launch Vehicle

and Integration ProgramPeter Eaton Manager, Delta Program

February 6, 1976

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