Launch of SUNSAT
MAP of LAUNCH AREA | Pictures | Vandenberg SUN
SUNSAT is currently in space ! (latest news on SUNSAT)
See more photos at http://sunsat.ee.sun.ac.za/photo.htm (now with descriptions)
SUNSAT was launched at 10h29:55 GMT (12h29 South African Time) on Tuesday 23 February 1999, and is currently in orbit.
SUNSAT has been successfully separated from the rocket, and communication has been established from the ground station in Stellenbosch. The team is busy with the process of detumbling SUNSAT, after which the boom will be deployed. SUNSAT is expected to be fully operational about 1 month after launch.
For more information on the launch, see Florida Today's Space Online
See Boeing's
webcast
of the launch.
(For the latest news on the launch, see the U.S. Air Force Press Release on the launch of SUNSAT at the 30th Space Wing)
All times given here are local / Pacific Standard Time (GMT -08h00). South African Standard Time (GMT +02h00) is therefore 10 hours ahead.
South Africans were be able to see the coverage live on DSTV, on the parliamentary channel. Coverage continued until SUNSAT was separated.
The successful launch of Delta II number 267 carried SUNSAT, along with the ARGOS and Øersted satellites into space. The launch started 100 minutes of maneuvres to place the 3 satellites in their orbits.
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100 minutes after launch, as the second-stage of the rocket passes over California again, SUNSAT will be seperated from the launch vehicle, and the SUNSAT team will begin the process of detumbling, booting and preparing SUNSAT for work. SUNSAT should be fully operational about 1 month after launch.
SUNSAT has been on the launch vehicle since 14 December 1998, when it was bolted onto the Payload Adapter by the SUNSAT Launch Integration Team. See what they had to say in the Vandenberg SUN.
The pre-launch press conference was held at the
Vandenberg Air Force Base. The press conference was attended by (among others),
Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, Lionel Mtshali, the
winners of the
MTN-SUNSTEP teacher-of-the-year and
scholar-of-the-year prizes, Antony Williams, and Eugene Williams respectively.
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| Allan Davids, Antony Williams, and Eugene Williams being interviewd by reoprters | Minister Mtshali in front of a model of the Delta II |
A reception was hosted by the South African consulate for all
those directly involved in the launch. At the reception, a commemorative
certificate was signed by everyone attending.
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| The commemorative "certificate" (?) |
The mission briefing was given by a number of Air Force officials, and representatives for each of the 3 satellites. Following that, the guests were taken on a most interesting tour of Vandenberg Air Force Base.
The tower shielding the rocket from the elements has been rolled away from the launch vehicle. The rocket will only be visible for the 9 hours (plus another 24 ?) prior to launch.
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| The South Africans in front of the rocket after the tower rollback. | |
South Africans should be able to see the coverage live on DSTV, on the parliamentary channel. Rumour has it that SABC 2 will also carry the live feed. Deputy President Thabo Mbeki will be making a speech in parliament at this time to celebrate the event.
The launch of the rocket was scrubbed due to excessive wind shear at high altitude. Similar conditions have caused the failure of previous rockets. Better safe than sorry !
South Africans were able to see the coverage live on DSTV, on the parliamentary channel. Hopefully SABC 2 carried the launch to the rest of the country also. Minister of Communications Jay Naidoo was interviewed with Arnold Schoonwinkel on E-TV.
The launch was scrubbed in the T-4 sceduled (4 minutes from launch) hold due to upper-level winds and a range safety issue.
The launch opprtunity scheduled for 21 January was scrubbed a few hours before launch (reasons not available now).Apparently it is not unusual to have many scrubs during January. The record number of scrubs is 14 (we don't want to set a new one !) The next launch attempt is expected to be by 24 January 1999 at 10h37:51 (GMT) Unfortunately the webmaster will be offline for until 23 January.
The launch attempt for Friday morning, 1/22/99, was scrubbed at 02h35 PST (10h35 GMT) due to unmanageable upper level winds. The team was positive through the count as the Range was green for nozzle closures and launch debris however persistent wind shear in the 10K - 12K ft. altitude could not be overcome by Delta II flight control management.
The launch attempt for Thursday, 1/28/99, was been scrubbed . The launch was aborted less than a second before launch, just before ignition of the main engine, due to suspected ignition failure of one of the vernier (steering) rocket motors.
The launch of SUNSAT due for today (7 February 199) has been scrubbed due to a range issue. The next possible launch attempt is tomorrow (8 February 1999) at the usual time of 10h39 GMT (12h39 SAST, 02h39 PST). This attempt has not yet been confirmed, but there is currently a 60% chance of weather exceeding the limits for a safe launch.
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For today's attempt, there was a presentation in the auditorium at the Electrical Engineering building, with everyone watching the live video feed. |
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The launch is currently scheduled for Saturday 13 February at 11h00 GMT (13h00 South African Time).
Due to the successful launch of the Minuteman missile on Wednesday, the launch of the ARGOS/SUNSAT/Øersted mission had been brought forward by one day. The launch attempt on Friday has been scrubbed, no details available yet.
SUNSAT's launch attempt for Saturday 13 February has been scrubbed due to a power supply problem on the Delta II launch vehicle. Repairs to the power supply could take up to 5 days, which will bring the launch vehicle to 40 days on the pad. The secondary stage can only be fueled for 35 days, after which it must be 'recycled', due to corrosion of the fuel tanks by the propellant.
It has been decided to continue with launch attempt subject to inspections of the 2nd stage.