rca satcom v press kit

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NASA85 NewsNational Aeronautics andSpace Administration

Washington, D.C. 20546AC 202 755-8370 p5 ,oib9

For Release

Jim Kukowski IMk.EDIATEHeadquarters, Washington, D.C.(Phone: 202/755-3090)

Charles Hecknagel

Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

(Phone: 301/344-5566)

HELEASE NO: 82-155

NASA To LAUNCH RCA SATCOM V

NASA will ilaunch the RCA Satcom V communications spacecraft

on a Delta 3924 launch vehicle from Launch Complex 17B, Eastern

Space and Missile Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force -Station, Fla.,

no earlier than Oct. 27 at 9J.10 p.m. EDT.

The 24-channel satellite will provide telecommunications and

video programminq services within Alaska and between Alaska and

the rest of the United States.

RCA Satcom V will Join four other RCA satellites, Satcoms 1,

11, 111-H and IV in orbit. The satellites provide coverage for

all 50 states and Puerto Rico with television, voice channels and

high speed data transmissions. Currently. there are more than

4eOOO earth stations with direct access to these spacecraft.

October 20, 1982



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This will be the first launch of a Delta 3924 vehicle,

although two Delta 3920 configurations havepreviously flown.

This three stage Delta vehicle consists oft an extended Long

Tank first stage with Rocketdyne RS-27 engine and nine Castor IV

strap-on solid motors for the first stage; the new improved

Aerojet AJ10-118K second stage; a Thiokol TE-364-4 third stage

engine. The entire vehicle is 2.4 meters (8 feet) in diameter

(excluding the strap-on solid motors) and .36 m (116 ft..) high.

McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Corp., Huntington Beach,

Calif., is the prime contractor fo r production and launch of the

Delta launch vehicle. The apogee kick motor. mounted inside the

spacecraft itself, is a [hiokol Star 30 motor.

HCA Americom, Princeton, N.J., is responsible for the

management of the RCA Satcom Program including acquisition of

the spacecraft, associated tracking, telemetry, command systems

and launch vehicle support. Spacecraft development and

production are the responsibility of RCA's Astro Electronics

Div., Princeton.

The Delta Project Office at the Goddard Space Flight Center,

(reenibelt, Md., is responsible to NASA's Office of Space Flight

for overall project management of the launch vehicle.

The Cargo operations office at NASA's John F. Kennedy Space

Center, Fla., is responsible to Goddard for launch operations

management.



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All launch costs incurred by NASA, including the vehicle

hardware and launch services, arereimbursed by RCA Americom.

RCA earth stations ate located near New York City, San

Francisco aaKd Los Angeles, and at Anchorage, Juneau, Nome.

Bethel, Valdez and Prudhoe Bay in Alaska.

During the transfer orbit, the Intelsat stations at Fucino,

Italy, and Carnarvon, Australia, augment tracking, telemetry and

command operations to provide improved global coverage. On the

seventh apogee, the Star 30 apogee kick motor will be fired to

produce a near-synichronous orbit. Positioning of the spacecraft

at 143 degrees west longitude above the equator will follow using

the satellite's on-board attitude-positioning gas system.

Nominal orbit characteristics are:

Transfer Orbit Satcom V

Apogee Altitude 35,786 km (19,323 nm)Perigee Altitude 172 km (92 nm)Inclination 24.93Argument of Perigee 178.2 degrees

Operational Orbit

Station Longitude 143 degrees (iW)

(END OF GENERAL RELEASE; BACKGROUND INNFORMATI ON FOLLOWS.,)

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RCA SATCoM V DESCRIPTION

The HCA Domestic Communications Satellite, RCA Satcom V is a24-channel spacecraft to provide telecommunications serviceswithin Alaska and between Alaska and the rest of the United

States. The spacecraft will be operated by RCA Americom in ajoint license agreement with Alascom, Inc. (the long distance

common carrier for Alaska).

The spacecraft will be placed into a 35,900 km (22,300 mi.)

geosynchronous orbit by a Delta 3924. With solar panels deploy-

ed, the satellite spans 15.78 m (51.8 ft.). The spacecraft mainbody measures 1.42 by 1.62 by J.75 m (56 by 64 by 69 in.).

The RCA Satcom v's total transfer weight, including the Star30 apogee motor, is 1,104.: kilograms

(2,436 pounds). On orbitweight is 589.5 kilograms (1,300 pounds).

The three-axis stabilized spacecraft is equipped with thepower, a.ttitdxje control, thermal control, propulsion, structure

and command, ranging and telemetry necessary to support mission

operations from booster separation through 10 years in geosynch-ronious orbit.

Spacecraft life, with coritinluous full power, is designed to

be 10 years.

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NASA/RCA SArCOM V TEAM

NASA Headquarters

Lt. Uen James A. Abrahamson Associate Administrator forSpace Flight

Joseph B. Mahon Director, Expendable LaunchVehicle Program

Peter Eaton Manager, Delta

Robert E. Smylie Associate Administrator forSpace Tracking and Data Systems

Goddard Space Flight Center

Dr. Noel W. Hinners Director

John J. Quailn Deputy Director

William C. Keathley Director, Project Management

Rober-t C. Baumann Actinq Delta Project Manaqer

Wvilliam A. Russell Jr. Deputy Delta Project Manager,

Techniica 1

John D. Kraft Manager, [)elta MissionAnalysis and Integration

Richard H. Sclafford RCA Sa-tcom V MissionIntegration Manager

Hooert Seiders Network Support Manager

Ralph Banning Mis:,ion Support

KenniedySpace Center

Hichard G. Smith Director

Thomas S. Walton D)irector, Cargo Operations

Charles D. Gay Director, Expendable VehiclesOperations

D. C. Sheppard Chief, Automated PayloadsDivision

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Wayne L. Mc-Call Chief,.Delta operations

Division

barry O)l to n Spacecraft Coordisxtor

wCA American Communicationis, Inc.

Andrew Inglis President

Johin Christopher Vice President of Technical

Operations

Peter Plush Manager, Major Programs and

Technical Operations Services

Joseph Schwarze Manaqer, Space Systems

William Palme Manager. Major Programs,

Launch Vehicle Integration

Joseph Elko Manager, Spacecraft Engineering

CONTRACTORS

HCA American Spacecraft management

WCA Astro Electronics Div. development/production

Princeton, NJ

McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Delta Launch Vehicle

Company

Huntington Beach, Calif.

HockeLdyne Division First stage engine (RS-27.)

Hockwell International

Canoga Park, Calif.

rhiokol Corp. Castor IV strap-on solid

Huntsville, Ala. tuel motors

rRYw TR-201 second stage engine

Redondo Beach, Calif.

Major Suocontractors

SPAR Aerospace Division Antenna Input and Output

STE-Anne-de-BellevueQuebec, Canada

Charles Stark Draper Labs Momentum .Vheel Assembly

Cambridge, Mass.



Lockheed Space Systems Earth Sensor Assembly andDivision Horizon Sensor Assembly

Sunnyvale, Calif.

Thiokol Corp. Apogee Kick Motor (Star 30)Elkton, Md. In spacecraft

Hughes Aircraft Co. Traveling Save TubeElectro Dynamics Di-visioxi AmplifiersTorrance, Calif.

Rocket Research Reaction Engine AssemblyRedmond. Sash.

Cubic Corp. Beacon Transmitter and CommandDefense Sytems Division

ReceiverSan Diego, Calif.

Parsons of California Structure and Solar PanelsStockton, Calif.

Adcole Corp. Sun Sensor Assembly-Waltham, Mass.

Northrop Corp. Rate Measuring AssemblyNorwood, Mass.

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rca satcom v press kit

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