cos-b press kit

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

For Release:IMMEDIATE

PRESS KITPROJECT: COS-BRELEASE NO: 75-214 Contents

GENERAL RELEASE ................... ....... . 1-3LAUNCh SUPPORT AND TRACKING OPERA'IONS .... 4PROGRAM MANAGEMENT ................................ . 4THE COS-B SPACECRAFT .......................... . 4LAUNCH OPERATIONS ............. .......... . 5STRAIGHT-EIGHT DELTA FACTS AND FIGURES .... 6-7MAJOR COS-B/DELTA FLIGHT EVENTS............ 8THE COS-B/DELTA TEAM...........I.......... 9-10


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

For Release:Ann Weeks IMMEDIATEHeadquarters, Washington, D.C.(Phone: 202/755-8370)

Jim LacerGoddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.(Phone: 301/982-5565

RELEASE NO: 75-214

NASA TO LAUNCH EUROPEAN COSMIC RAY EXPERIMENTAL SATELLITE

Eur-.&e's first observatory satellite, which is designedfor extraterrestrial gamma radiation study, will be launchedby NASA's Goddard Spnoe -light Center, Greenbelt, Md., onDelta rocket for the PEuropean Fpace Agency (ESA). The launchis from the Air Force Western Test Range, Vandenberq AirForce Base, Calif., about Aug. 6.

A Delta 2913 vehicle will place the 275-kilogram (612-pound) COS-B (for COSMIC) into a highly elliptical orbit of100,000 by 35J kilometers (62,000 by 217 miles) having aninclination of 90 degrees to the equator.

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-2-COS-B's mission has the following objectives:

a To establish the intensity of the average gamma-ray flux;

* To examine the large-scale nature of the radiationover angular regions corresponding to galacticfeatures;

* To search for, and examine, sources of small angularsize, especially those such as supernova remnants,cuasars and other radio and x-ray sources;

* To measure the. energy spectra of the radiations inall these categories;

* To search for time variat:.orns, both long term, asobserved in certain x-ray sources, and of the veryshort neriods characteristic of pulsars now observedin visible, .:-ray and radiu wavelengths.

NASA's responsibility ends at spacecraft separation aftertl.a spacecraft has been injected into the highly ellipticalorbit approximately 53 minutes, 20 seconds after liftoff.The ESA will reimburse NASA for both the Delta launch vehicleand launch services.

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-3-The ESA ground stations in Belgium; Fairbanks,

Alaska; and the ESA Control Center, Darmstadt, Germany,will be the prime sites for early orbit and normal opera-tions. Tracking support by NASA Space Tracking and DataNetwork (STDN) stations will provide coordinated missionsupport until NASA and ESA orbit data agree. Ordinaryprocedure calls for the transmission of commands by ESAstations, although back-up commands may be requested fromNASA between liftoff and three weeks thereafter.

After that date, NASA stations may be requested toprovide emergency commands and special "long eclipse"operations in May 1976 and May 1977.

(END OF GENERAL RELEASE. BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOLLOWS.)

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LAUNCH OPERATIONS

The spacecraft will be launched from the Western Test Range,Vandenberg AFB, Calif., by a three-stage Delta launch vehicle.First Stage

The first stage is a McDonnell Douglas extended lona-tank Thor booster incorporating nine strap-on Thiokol solid-fuel Castor II rocket motors. The booster is powered by aRocketdyne engine using liquid oxygen and liquid hydrocarbonpropellants. The main engine is gimbal-mounted to providepitch and yaw control from liftoff to main engine cutoff.Second Stage

The second stage is powered by a TRW liquid-fuel,pressure-fed engine that also is gimbal-mounted to providepitch and yaw control through second-stage burn. A nitrogengas system uses eight fixed nozzles for roll control duringpowered and coast flight, as well as pitch and yaw controlduring coast and after second-stage cutoff. Two fixed noz-zles, fed by the propellant-tank, helium-pressurizationsystem, provide retro-thrust after third stage separation.Third Stage

The third stage is the TE-364-3 spin-stabilized, solid-propellant Thiokol motor. It is secured in a spintablemounted to the second stage. The firing of eight solid-propellant rockets fixed to the spintable accomplishes spin-up of the third stage/spacecraft assembly.Spacecraft Separation

Approximately 1 1/2 minutes after third stage burnout,COS-B separates from the Delta third stage at a plannedaltitude of 222 km (139 mi.) at which time ESA groundtracking and command facilities take over.

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STRAIGHT-EIGHT DELTA FACTS AND FIGURES

Height: 35.4 meters (116 feet) including shroudMaximum diameter: 2.4 m (8 ft.) without attached solidsLiftoff weight: 133,180 kilograms (293,000 pounds)Liftoff thrust: 1,741,475 newtons (391,343 lbs.) includingstrap-on solids

First Stage -- (liquid only) consists of an extendedlong tank Thor, produced by McDonnell Douglas. The RS-27engines, produced by the Rocketdyne Division of RockwellInternational, have the following characteristics:

diameter -- 2.4 m (8 ft.)height -- 21.3 m, (70 ft.)propellants -- RJ-1 kerosene as the fuel and liquidoxygen as the oxidizerthrust -- 912,000 N (205,000 lbs.)burning time -- about 3.48 minutesweight -- about 84,000 kg (185,000 lbs.) excludingstrap-on solidsStrap-on solids consist of nine solid propellant rocketsproduced by the Thiokol Chemical Corp., with the followingfeatures:diameter -- 0.8 m (31 in.)height -- 7 m (23.6 ft.)total weight -- 40,300 kg (88,650 lbs.) for nine

4,475 kg (9,850 lbs.) eachthrust -- 2,083,000 N (468,000 lbs.) for nine

231,400 N (52,000 lbs.) eachburning time -- 38 seconds

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Second Stage -- Produced by McDonnell Douglas Astro-nautics Co., utilizing a TRW TR-201 rocket engine. Majorcontractors for the vehicle inertial guidance system locatedon the second stage are Hamilton Standard, Teledyne and Delco.Characteristics are:diameter -- 1.5 m (5 ft.) plus 2.4 m (3 ft.) attachedring

height 6.4 m (21 ft.)weight -- 6,180 kg (13,596 lbs.)propellants -- liquid, consisting of Aerozene 50 forthe fuel and Nitrogen Tetroxide (N204)for the oxidizerthrust -- about 42,923 N (9,650 lbs.)total burning time -- 335 seconds

Third Stage -- Thiokol Chemical Co. TE-364-3 motor:propellants -- solidheight -- 1.4 m (4.5 ft.)diameter -- 1 m (3 ft.)weight -- 730 kg (1,600 lbs.)thrust -- 41,500 N (9,320 lbs.)burning time -- 44 seconds

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-10-Kennedy Space CenterLee R. Scherer DirectorJohn J. Neilon Director, Unmanned Iala.chOperationsHenry R. Van Goey Manager, KSC Western LaunchOperations DivisionWilmer "Bud" Thacker Chief, Delta Operations,Launch Vehicle EngineeringBranchCarl Latham COS-B Spacecraft Coordinator

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July 29, 1975

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