Intelsat IV Press Kit 051875

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National Aeronautics andSpace AdministrationWashington. D.C 20546AC 202 755-8370

For Release:SUNDAYMay 18, 1975

PROJECT: INTELSAT IVContents

GENERAL RELEASE ............................. 1-4ATLAS-CENTAUR LAUNCH VEHICLE ................ 5-6

ATLAS-CENTAUR FLIGHT HISTORY................. 7LAUNCH PREPARATIONS ......................... 8INTELSAT LAUNCH WINDOWS...................... 8TYPICAL LAUNCH SEQUENCE FOR INTELSAT IV..... 9INTELSAT TEAM............................. 10-11

RELEASE NO: 75-125 May 1, 1975


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National Aeronautics andSpace AdministrationWashington. D.C. 20546AC 202 755-8370

F',r Release.Howard Allaway SUNDAYHeadquarters, Washington, D.C. May 18, 1975(Phone: 202/755-8617)

Hugh HarrisLewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio(Phone: 216/433-4000 Ext. 415)RELEASE NO: 75-125SATELLITE FOR SERVICE OVER INDIAN OCEAN SET FOR LAUNCH

The eighth INTELSAT IV commercial communications satellite

will be launched by NASA aboard an Atlas-Centaur rocket fromCape Canaveral, Fla., no earlier than May 22.

The satellite, which weighs 1,400 kilograms (3,100 pounds)

at launch, will be positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the

Indian Ocean on the equator at 61 degrees East longitude.This will be the second INTELSAT IV over the Indian Ocean and

completes the INTELSAT IV worldwide network originallyplanned.

Presently there are three INTELSAT IVs over the Atlantic Ocean,

two over the Pacific and one over the Indian Ocean.

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This launch will be the second attempt to place a secondINTELSAT IV over the Indian Ocean. A launch Feb. 20 failedduring the Atlas portion of the flight. As a result of thefailure investigation, a number of changes have been made tohardware and procedures concerned with the electrical disconnectbetween the Atlas booster and sustainer sections.

The INTELSATs are owned by the International Telecommuni-cations Satellite Organization (INTELSAT). The CommunicationsSatellite Corporation (COMSAT), the United States member, actsas manager on behalf of the other 89 nations in the organiza-tion. NASA is reimbursed for all costs of the Atlas-Centaurand launch services by COMSAT on behalf of INTELSAT, underprovisions of the Communications Satellite Act of 1962.

Each INTELSAT IV is able to carry approximately 3,500two-way telephone conversations under average conditions, oreach can carry 12 television channels or a combination oftelephone, TV and other communications traffic.

Despite the growth already experienced, the pressure ofrapidly growing demands for international telephone, televisionand data transmission has led to the development of even largercommunications satellites.

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The first of a new series designated INTELSAT IV-A, withtwice the capacity of INTELSAT IV, is scheduled for launchthis coming summer.

The Atlas-Centaur 35 launch vehicle will place theINTELSAT IV in a highly elliptical orbit ranging from approxi-mately 537 to 35,880 kilometers (334 to 22,300 miles). Aftercheckout and orientation of the satellite, a solid propellantrocket motor aboard the spacecraft will be fired to circularizethe orbit at synchronous altitude 35,880 km (22,300 mi.) overthe equator. At that altitude, because the speed of thespacecraft in orbit matches the rotational speed of Earth,the satellite remains in position over one spot.

The launch of INTELSAT spacecraft aboard Atlas-Centaurrockets requires the coordinated efforts of a large govern-ment and industry team. NASA's Lewis Research Center,Cleveland, Ohio, has management responsibility for the Atlas-Centaur development and operation. NASA's John F. KennedySpace Center, Fla., is assigned checkout and launch responsi-bility once the vehicle reaches Cape Canaveral.

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Prior to this, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center,Greenbelt , Md., conducts design reviews and tecbnical assess-ments of flight readiness reviews of th e soacecraft on behalfof the Federal Communications Commission. Cnntractors, in-cluding General Dvnamics/Convair, San Diego, Calif.; Prattand Whitney, West Palm Beach, Fla.; Hughes Aircraft Co.,

Sunnyvale, Calif.; llone-'vnll Aerospace Division, St. Petershura,Fla.; and Teledyne, Northridme, Calif., perform the actualmanufacturing, integration, testing and launc' activities.

(END OF GE'PRAL RELEASIE. BACKGROUND TNP0RTITIfnIN FrOLLOW1S.)

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ATLAS-CENTAUR LAUNCH VEHICLE

The Atlas-Centaur is NASA's standard launch vehicle forintermediate weiqht payloads. It is used fo r the launch ofEarth orbital, Earth synchronous and interplanetary missions.

Centaur was the nation's first high-energy, liquid-hydrogen/liquid-oxvgen propalled rocket. Developed and launched underthe direction of NASA's Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio,it became operational in 1966 with the launch of Surveyor 1, thefirst U.S. spacecraft to soft-land on the Moon's surface.

Since that time, both the Atlas booster and Centaur secondstage have undergone many improvements. At present the vehiclecombination can place 4,530 k;g (10,000 lbs.) in low. Earth orbit,1,880 kg (4,150 lbs.) in a synchronous transfer orbit , and 900kg (2,000 Ihs.) on an interplanetary trajectory.

The Atlas-Centaur, standina approximately 39.9 meters (131feet) high, consists of an Atlas SLV-3D ] oster and Centaur D-lAsecond stage. The Atlas booster develops 1,920 kilonew.tons(431,300 lbs.) of thrust at liftoff usina two 822,920-neo:ton(185,000-lb.) thrust booster engines, one 266,890--N (60,000-lb.) thrust sustainer engine? and two vernier engines developina2,890 N (650 1bs.) thrust each. The two RL-10 engincs on Cen aurproduce a total of 133,450 N (30,000 lIbs.) thrust. Both tl.Atlas and Centaur are 3.048 m (10 ft.) in diameter.

Until early 1974, Centaur was used exclusively in comlbina-tion with the Atlas booster. Now it is also used with a Titan IIlbooster to launch heavier payloads into Farth orbit and inter-planetary trajectories.

The Atlas and the Centaur veehicles have been updated overthe *ears. Thrust of the Atlas enain(ts has been incr.s-aedi aLouu222,400 IN (50,000 lbi.) since its debut in th e space. pro'orar inthe earl" 1960s when it launched th e nation's first cr~r~munica-t ions iatellite carrinCo fnrrmer Presidlent Dwight r. I enho.rr sChristmas rVssace to th e world.

'Phe Centaur D-1A has ani integrated electronic sv~tem th-ttp-eforms a mnajor role in cnec!;inci itself and other vc'ic ' 'q-ters ' b.foro launch and al--o maintains centrol of rn r ev-n4after lift-off. The new Centaur srv-ter, handles. nav, pit in an'auidance tis)k;, r-ontrols pressurl7ation, 'ronellant i,rn'and t-eler tr- for.at-, an'7 trantuvil -ior, and 1nitia t Qs ' 'QlCYe.?ints. '1e ()'4^rat-iofl nueds (7'tnl 1'- rt I"- Ce.an i'n- f-

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Typical Launch Vehicle CharacteristicsLiftoff weight including spacecraft 147,750 kg (325,732 lbs.)Liftoff height 39.9 m (131 ft.)Launch Complex 36

Atlas Booster Centaur StageWeight (with 128,639 kg 16,965 kgpropellants) (283,600 lbs.) (37,400 lbs.)Height 21.3 m 18.6 m(70 ft.) (61 ft. withpayload fairing)Thrust 1,919 kn 133,447 N(431,300 lbs.) (30,000 lbs.)at sea level in vacuumPropellants Liqu'.d oxygen and Liquid OxygenRP-1 and liquidhydrogenPropulsion MA-5 system (two Two 66,723-N822,921-N (185,000 (15,000-lb.)

lb.) thrust booster thrust RL-10engines, one 266,893- engines, 14N (60,000-lb.) thrust small hydrogensustainer engine, two peroxide2,891-N (650-lb.) thrustersthrust vernier engines)

Velocity 9,004 km per hour 33,191 km per(5,596 mph) at BECO; hour (20,62413,029 km per hour mph) at space-(8,096 mph) at SECO. craft separationGuidance Pre-proqrammed pro- Inertial guidancefile through BECO.

Switch to inertialguidance for sustainerphase.

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-8-LAUNCH PREPARATIONS

NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center and its UnmannedLaunch Operations Directorate play key roles in th e preparationand launch of Atlas-Centaur 35 carrying the INTELSAT III space-craft into orbit.

The INTELSAT IV spacecraft was received Feb. 24 and placedin Hangar A4 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for prelaunchcheckout.

The Atlas and Centaur stages were erected on Pad A atLaunch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in mid-March.

In addition to providing necessary spacecraft supportservices during final launch preparations, the Unmanned LaunchOperations Directorate is responsible for mating the spacecraftand payload fairing with the launch vehicle. hIating of th espacecraft with Atlas-Centaur 35 is scheduled fo r May 15.

In providing launch operations, KSC handles scheduling oftest milestones and review of data to assure that the launchvehicle has met all its test requirements and is ready for launch.

All launch vehicle and pad operations during the launchcountdown are conducted from the blockhouse at Complex 36 by ajoint government-industry tear..

INTELSAT LALUIC T','IN0'DOIS

The primary factor determining the launch window fo rINTELSAT spacecraft is the anlrle of the Sun. It is desirablefor th e solar cells on th e spacecraft to receive raxixirum pos-sible exposure during the transfer orbit. The Sun angle is atits best twice a daze at noon and midnolwht GMT or 8:00 a.rm. and8:00 p.m. EDT. Because of the greater convenience for launchcrews and trackinci operations, tie q:(') r.m. period generallyis chosen.

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INTELSAT TEAM

NASA HeadouartersCharles W. Mathews Associate Administratorfor ApplicationsDr. Richard B. Marsten Director of CommunicationsProgramsJerome Freibaum Manager, Technical Consul-tation ServicesNoel W1. Hinners Associate Administratorfor Space ScienceJoseph B. Mahon Director of Launch Vehicleand Propulsion ProgramsF. R. Schmidt Manager, Atlas-Centaur

Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, OhioBruce T. Lundin DirectorDr. Seymour C. Hiemel Associate Director forFlight ProgramsAndrew J. Stofan Director of Launch VehiclesHenry 0. Slone Atlas-Centaur Project ManagerVernon J. Weyers INTELSAT Mission Project

EngineerFrank L. Manning Launch Vehicle ProjectEngineer

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Kennedy Space Center, Fla.Lee R. Scherer DirectorJohn J. Neilon Director, Unmanned LaunchOperationsJohn Gossett Manager, Centaur OperationsRalph S. Lotspeich INTELSAT SpacecraftCoordinator

COMSATDr. Joseph V. Charyk PresidentGeorge P. Sampson Senior Vice President,International System DivisionMartin J. Votaw Assistant Vice President,Engineering

Industry TeamPrime Contractors ResponsibilityHughes Aircraft Co. INTELSAT IV spacecraftSunnyvale, Calif.General Dynamics/Convair Atlas-Centaur launch vehicleSan Diego, Calif.Honeywell, Aerospace Division Centaur guidance inertialSt. Petersburg, Fla. measurement groupPratt and Whitney Centaur RL-10 enginesWest Palm Beach, Fla.Teledyne Digital computer unit/PCMNorthridge, Calif. telemetry

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Intelsat IV Press Kit 051875