karn@eagle.UUCP (08/02/83)
An unexpected launch opportunity has occurred with
NASA-DELTA due to the premature demise of NASA'S LANDSAT-4
spacecraft and their decision to advance the call-up
replacement mission to early next year rather than in late
1985 as previously planned. The original launch date had
made it appropriate to earmark this opportunity for the
PACSAT mission, however the advanced date has brought the
launch well in front of the earliest time that PACSAT could
possibly be ready.
Discussions with the GSFC NASA DELTA Project Office
indicate strongly that this is the last low, polar,
earth-orbit launch currently scheduled using the DELTA
vehicle and therefore it would seem a pity to let it pass
unused. The only remaining tangible launch opportunities
left after DELTA reside with the STS Get Away Special
programme (using the Thiokol ejection mechanism based on the
DELTA/UOSAT interface). The first likely launch of the
Shuttle into a useful polar orbit is scheduled for August
1986.
The result is that there is a definite launch opportunity
for a UOSAT class spacecraft on board a DELTA vehicle into a
854 km, 103 minute, sun-synchronous (9am-9pm), polar, earth
orbit currently scheduled for March 1984.
In spite of the extremely tight timescale, and following
discussions with AMSAT and the PACSAT project, a proposal to
prepare a UOSAT-B spacecraft for this launch opportunity is
being prepared by the UOSAT team at Surrey.
As will be understood, many hurdles stand in our way that
impact the already short timescale - not least of all
finance! It is not possible to release further details at
this time as the project is under study and the proposal not
yet prepared and submitted to NASA-HQ.
Details on the proposed mission (if all continues well)
will be published as soon as possible.
Martin Sweeting G3YJO Univ. Surrey