alb@alice.UUCP (05/02/83)
Relay-Version:version B 2.10 delta 4/26/83; site burl.UUCP Posting-Version:version B 3/9/83; site alice.UUCP Path:burl!spanky!ihnp4!houxm!npoiv!alice!alb Message-ID:<1797@alice.UUCP> Date:Mon, 2-May-83 16:29:27 EDT Organization:Bell Labs, Murray Hill NASA engineers today test fired the station keeping thrusters on TDRS-1 for about one hour. The operation was designed to check out the performance of the small rockets and to see whether or not they will be adequate to raise and circularlize the orbit of the satellite. The firing, which began at 1022 EDT was to raise the low point of the satellite's elliptical orbit by about 198 miles, consuming 27 of the 1300 pounds of hydrazine fuel on board. If the data ob- tained by the engineers is acceptable, the salvage operation will begin this Sunday, and last for about 2 weeks, with 3 to 4 hours of engine firing each day.