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ЦитироватьFeb. 5     Minotaur 1  •  NROL-66
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-8, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California

The Air Force Minotaur 1 rocket will launch a classified satellite payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. Moved up from March. [Nov. 23]

ЦитироватьNRO pathfinder satellite scheduled to launch Saturday[/size]
BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: February 2, 2011

The U.S. military plans to launch a Minotaur rocket Saturday with a secret technology research mission for the National Reconnaissance Office, the government agency that oversees the country's spy satellites.

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The Minotaur rocket's lower assembly, composed of retired Minuteman missile stages, is stacked on the launch pad. Credit: U.S. Air Force
 
The solid-fueled Orbital Sciences Corp. Minotaur 1 launcher is scheduled to lift off some time Saturday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The launch window is a secret for now, but the Air Force plans to announce a time for the blastoff Thursday evening.

The release of the launch time will come after the Launch Readiness Review adjourns Thursday to give approval for final flight preparations, according to an Air Force spokesperson.

The NRO is keeping quiet on the mission's specifics, but the agency says it is part of a science and technology development effort to lay the groundwork for future systems.

"If you have heard our director speak, one of his priorities is to have a healthy science and technology effort," said Rick Oborn, an NRO spokesperson. "This particular payload carries some of the work we do in techniques and methods to improve intelligence collection. All part of our work to keep improving the value of our data."

The satellite is known as RPP, which stands for the Rapid Pathfinder Program. The launch is codenamed NROL-66 in the spy agency's rocket acquisition naming system.

"It is an NRO mission using a small rocket, which would denote a lighter payload," Oborn told Spaceflight Now.

Bruce Carlson, director of the NRO, told an Air Force Association meeting in September the agency is renewing its commitment to science and technology programs.

Carlson said he was troubled by a drop in science and technology investment when he was became director in 2009.

Next year's NRO budget request will call for more science and technology funding, increasing the agency's research budget back to historical levels, according to Carlson.

"My plan is that ten years from now, when somebody is standing up here, they'll be able to say 60 percent of the technology that we put into this [new] satellite came out of our [science and technology] program," Carlson said in September. "Unlike the Air Force's and the other services' science and technology, mine is a little bit more predictable because even though what the particular advances are I don't know, I know that I'm pretty much going to be doing signals intelligence, I'm going to be doing imaging intelligence, and I'm going to be doing communications."

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Stacking of the Minotaur 1 rocket's third and fourth stages and the 50-inch payload fairing. Credit: U.S. Air Force
 
The NRO's overall budget and the cost of the RPP mission are classified.

The spacecraft could be testing new radar or optical imaging sensors to be employed on the next generation of U.S. reconnaissance satellites.

The Minotaur rocket will likely deploy the payload in a sun-synchronous orbit often used by Earth observation missions. The 62-foot-tall rocket will launch from Space Launch Complex 8 in the southern part of Vandenberg.

The rocket is now fully assembled at the launch pad, according to the Air Force.

Minotaur 1 rockets are made up of decommissioned Minuteman missile stages and parts from Pegasus and Taurus commercial launchers.

The booster could lift up to 800 pounds to a low-altitude polar orbit. Its 50-inch-diameter payload fairing could fit a satellite the size of a large kitchen refrigerator. The Minotaur's specifications provide an upper limit for the size and mass of the spacecraft to be launched Saturday.

Most NRO payloads are much larger.

The agency often uses Atlas and Delta rockets to haul hefty satellites into space. A Delta 4-Heavy launch Jan. 20 from Vandenberg orbited a high-resolution imaging platform the size of a school bus.

Saturday's launch will be the first time the NRO has flown a payload on a Minotaur rocket.

"We will use smaller vehicles from time to time as we match payloads," Oborn said.

ЦитироватьA0529/11 - QXXXX THE FOLLOWING RESTRICTIONS ARE REQUIRED DUE TO: ALTRV 2 ROPS AIROP DO-1102. WESTBOUND TRAFFIC TO HAWAII FROM CONUS ON ATS ROUTE R576 ESTIMATING DINTY BETWEEN 1140Z AND 1615Z SHOULD FILE MQO C1155 AUDIA DUETS R576. EASTBOUND TRAFFIC FROM HAWAII TO CONUS ON ATS ROUTE R577 ESTIMATING EDSEL BETWEEN 1110Z AND 1530Z SHOULD FILE EDSEL AUDIA C1155 MQO. EASTBOUND TRAFFIC FROM HAWAII TO CONUS ON ATS ROUTE R578 ESTIMATING FOOTS BETWEEN 1110Z AND 1530Z SHOULD FILE FOOTS AUDIA C1155 MQO. SOUTHWESTBOUND TRAFFIC FROM CONUS TO THE SOUTH PACIFIC VIA C1177 ESTIMATING SXC BETWEEN 1110Z AND 1535Z SHOULD FILE MQO C1155 AUDIA EDSEL FLIGHT PLAN ROUTE. NORTHEASTBOUND TRAFFIC FROM THE SOUTH PACIFIC TO CONUS VIA C1177 ESTIMATING FICKY BETWEEN 1115Z AND 1545Z SHOULD FILE FLIGHT PLAN ROUTE FOOTS AUDIA C1155 MQO. THE TEMPORARY ROUTES DESCRIBED ABOVE ARE FOR AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH RNP-10 NAVIGATION SYSTEMS OR BETTER. ALL OTHERS SHOULD FLIGHT PLAN TO AVOID THE AIRSPACE NOTAMED FOR ALTRV 2 ROPS AIROP DO-1102 BY AT LEAST 50NM. TIMES LISTED ABOVE ARE BASED ON THE PERFORMANCE OF TURBOJET AIRCRAFT ONLY AND SLOWER AIRCRAFT SHOULD PLAN ACCORDINGLY. QUESTIONS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SUPERVISOR AT END PART 1 OF 2. 1110-1615Z DLY, 05 FEB 11:10 2011 UNTIL 08 FEB 16:15 2011. CREATED: 02 FEB 18:02 2011
A0529/11 - 510-745-3332 OR THE OAKLAND ARTCC OCEANIC SUPERVISOR AT 510-745-3342. END PART 2 OF 2. 1110-1615Z DLY, 05 FEB 11:10 2011 UNTIL 08 FEB 16:15 2011. CREATED: 02 FEB 18:02 2011

Цитировать!CARF 02/018 (KZAK A0527/11) ZAK AIRSPACE DCC ON 2 ROPS AIROP DO-1102 STATIONARY RESERVATION WITHIN AN AREA BNDD BY 2252N/12238W 2439N/12230W 2428N/12000W 2241N/12010W WITHIN AN AREA BNDD BY 3115N/12130W 3324N/12116W 3318N/12005W 3109N/12020W AREA OUTSIDE US CONTROLLED AIRSPACE IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY SFC-UNL WEF 1102051145-1102051535

Цитировать!CARF 02/050 (KZAK A0554/11) ZAK AIRSPACE DCC ON 2 ROPS AIROP DO-1102 STATIONARY RESERVATION WITHIN AN AREA BNDD BY 3115N/12130W 3324N/12116W 3318N/12005W 3109N/12020W WITHIN AN AREA BNDD BY 3420N/12036W 3420N/12040W 3434N/12040W 3434N/12036W AREA OUTSIDE US CONTROLLED AIRSPACE IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY SFC-UNL WEF 1102061145-1102061535

ЦитироватьМожно предположить, что какой-то технологический или экспериментальный оптик. Есть какие соображения?

ЦитироватьMinotaur rocket assembled and tested

Engineers ready the Minotaur 1 rocket for launch Saturday with a research payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, the U.S. government agency responsible for building and operating spy satellites. Liftoff will be from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

Photo credit: U.S. Air Force

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Цитировать

ЦитироватьМожно предположить, что какой-то технологический или экспериментальный оптик. Есть какие соображения?

Но почему оптик, а не например радиотехник? Или радиолокатор типа ТекСАРа?

ЦитироватьЗоны падения ОЧРН с этого пуска, нарисованные для Google Earth:

http://www.zarya.info/NROL-66.kml

ЦитироватьТочное время пуска: 5 февраля, 12:26 UTC (15:26 ДМВ, 4:26 местного)

ЦитироватьТак как из практики радиотехники на ССО не летают,

Цитировать а локаторам данная орбита не является основополагающей или крайне необходимой. Другими словами локаторы могут снимать в любое время суток, а оптику в большинстве случаев нужна освещённая поверхность, что как раз достигается выводом сабжа на ССО.

ЦитироватьITAR-TASS, 05/02 16:12 CET http://ru.euronews.net/newswires/726477-newswire/

На базе ВВС США в Калифорнии из-за сбоя на сутки отложен секретный запуск ракеты "Минотавр-1"[/size]

ЛОС-АНДЖЕЛЕС, 5 февраля. /Корр. ИТАР-ТАСС Алексей Качалин/. Запуск ракеты-носителя "Минотавр-1", осуществляемый в интересах Национального разведывательного управления США /НРУ/, отложен на сутки. Старт ракеты, который был состояться сегодня в 04:26 по времени Тихоокеанского побережья США /15:26 мск/ с базы ВВС США Ванденберг /штат Калифорния/, не был произведен из-за технический неполадок.

Причиной стал сбой наземного оборудования, поддерживающего запуск носителя. Как уточнило командование базы Ванденберг, сотрудники центра управления полетом заметили колебания напряжения в передатчике, который используется для контроля за ракетой. "Безопасность для нас превыше всего. Мы изучаем создавшуюся ситуацию и принимаем все нужные меры предосторожности", – отметил полковник ВВС Ричард Больц.

Обратный отсчет времени начинался дважды и дважды останавливался до времени старта. В итоге инженеры заключили, что причина сбоя не поддается оперативному устранению. Попытка запустить ракету будет предпринята повторно в воскресенье.

Деятельность НРУ, контролирующего разведывательные спутники США, окутана плотной завесой секретности. Само управление хранит молчание относительно конкретных задач, для решения которых будет использоваться аппарат, отмечая, что его запуск является частью усилий в области научно-технических разработок, закладывающих основу для будущих систем. Запускаемый спутник известен под названием Ар-пи-пи /Rapid Pathfinder Program/. Стоимость предстоящего эксперимента также не разглашается.

Цитировать

ЦитироватьТак как из практики радиотехники на ССО не летают,

Ну почему не летают? ЭССЕЙМы например вполне летают, хотя конечно у них время узла плывет, т.е. это не строгая ССО.

ЦитироватьКстати говоря, плоскость орбиты Essaim'ов проходила через Ванденберг как раз в номинальный момент старта (12:26 UTC).

ЦитироватьДык не получится при таком наклонении ССО.

ЦитироватьOrbital's Minotaur I launch of NROL-66 reset to Sunday[/size]
February 5th, 2011 by William Graham

Orbital Sciences Corporation will make a second attempt to launch their Minotaur I from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Sunday, following a scrub of the mission which is carrying a classified technology development satellite for the United States National Reconnaissance Office. The mission, designated NRO Launch 66, is re-scheduled to launch after 12:26 UTC (04:26 local time) – following technical issues.

Minotaur Launch:

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The payload of the launch is a classified spacecraft known as the Rapid Pathfinder Program (RPP). It is part of an NRO technology development programme initiated in 2009 to increase levels of research within the agency. It is likely to enter a polar or sun-synchronous low Earth orbit, suggesting that it will be used to test new optical or radar imagery systems.

It is unusual for the NRO to announce the name or mission of its spacecraft; this has only happened twice previously – the Space Technology Experiment (STEX) on NROL-8 in 1998, and GeoLITE on NROL-17 in 2001. Both of these missions were also technology development missions, although in both cases more details on the nature of the experiments aboard the spacecraft were provided than with today's mission.

The Minotaur I rocket is a four stage all-solid expendable launch system developed and operated by Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC). It was derived from the retired LGM-30F Minuteman II missile, which was developed in the 1960s as an upgraded version of the earlier Minuteman I.

The Minuteman II made its maiden flight in September 1964 and its final operational test launch in November 1987. Forty eight rockets were built for the development programme, followed by 620 production models, for a total of 668. The Minuteman II flew 181 times, with four failures.

The Minuteman II was a three stage rocket, consisting of an M-55E1 first stage, an SR-19 second stage, and an M-57A1 third stage. The Minotaur II reuses the first and second stages, with an Orion-50XL motor replacing the M-57A1 as the third stage, and an Orion-38 being added as a fourth stage. The use of a Hydrazine Auxiliary Propulsion System (HAPS) fifth stage has been proposed, but no launch in this configuration has yet been made.

Two payload fairings are available for Minotaur I launches, a standard one with a diameter of 1.27 metres, or an enlarged one with a diameter of 1.55 metres. For this flight the standard fairing, which is the same as that used on the air-launched Pegasus rocket, will be used.

Minuteman II rockets have also formed the basis of the Multi-Service Launch System (MSLS) and Minotaur II suborbital launch systems. Both of these use all three stages of the Minuteman II. The MSLS flew eight times between 1996 and 2001, and the Minotaur II has made six flights beginning in 2000. Another configuration, the Minotaur II+, has made two flights. The Minotaur II+ uses an SR-73 third stage in place of the Minuteman's M-57A1.

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Saturday's launch will be the ninth flight of the Minotaur I and the twentieth Minotaur launch overall. The Minotaur family consists of the Minotaur I and II, plus three rockets derived from the Peacekeeper missile. The Minotaur III is a suborbital launch system which is yet to fly. The Minotaur IV, which made its maiden flight last year, is an orbital launch system capable of lofting heavier payloads than the Minotaur I. The Minotaur V, which is expected to make its maiden flight in 2013, is capable of reaching higher orbits.

The flight profile for the launch has not been announced, however all Minotaur I launches follow roughly the same sequence of events. The flight will begin at T-0, when the first stage will ignite and the rocket will begin to climb towards orbit. The first stage will burn for 61.3 seconds before burning out and separating. The second stage will ignite immediately. A little over seventeen seconds later, the interstage which connected the first and second stages will be jettisoned from the second stage. The payload fairing will separate 123.3 seconds after launch.

Just over 128 seconds into the flight, the second stage will burn out and separate, ending a 65-second burn. Around two seconds later the third stage will ignite and burn for 73 seconds. The rocket will then enter a coast phase. The exact duration of this phase is unknown, and varies depending on payload requirements.

The Minotaur I's User Guide gives a typical duration for the coast phase as seven minutes and eleven seconds. Eleven seconds before the end of the coast phase, the third stage will be jettisoned. At the end of the coast phase the fourth stage will ignite to begin the final powered phase of the flight. The fourth stage burn will last 129 seconds, and will be followed by a short coast, and then spacecraft separation.

The exact target orbit for this launch is unknown. NOTAMs issued to keep aircraft away from areas where the first and second stages of the rocket are expected to fall show that the Minotaur will fly south, and slightly west, from Vandenberg.

Assuming that it does not make a dog-leg, this would suggest that it is heading towards a slightly retrograde sun-synchronous orbit. The other possibility is that it could dog-leg into a polar orbit, however this is unlikely. The Minotaur User Guide gives a typical mission profile as placing a 335 kilogram payload into a 741 kilometre circular orbit inclined at 99.3 degrees.

The Minotaur will launch from Space Launch Complex 8 (SLC-8) at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. SLC-8 is operated by Spaceport Systems International, having been built in the late 1990s as part of the California Spaceport.

This is the ninth launch from the pad; six previous Minotaur I missions and two Minotaur IV launches have used the facility. The most recent launch was of a Minotaur IV carrying the SBSS-1 satellite last September. This will be the first Minotaur I to launch from Vandenberg since 2006.

Officially, the launch is identified as NRO Launch 66, or NROL-66. Such designations are assigned to all NRO spacecraft which fly as primary payloads, and this is the thirtieth launch since the designation system was introduced. Exactly how the designations are assigned is unclear, as although the missions are not launched in numerical order, the numbers do seem to be vaguely sequential, albeit with some significantly out of sequence.

The comparatively short development time of this mission, combined with it having the highest launch number of any payload so far, suggests that the order of the designations may be related to the order in which the spacecraft are procured.

A direct relationship is unlikely, however, given that no two spacecraft of the same class occupy consecutive designations. On some occasions payloads of the same class have had non-sequential designations; NROL-5 launched over six years before NROL-1, despite both payloads being SDS-3 satellites.

The first mission with an NROL designation was NROL-2, launched using a Titan IV(403)A on 20 December 1996. It carried an Improved Crystal imaging satellite, similar to the one launched last month atop a Delta IV. On early missions, the designations were not well publicised, and consequently there is some confusion over which designations were associated with which launches. Although a list has been complied associating each designation with a specific launch, some information is based on conjecture, rumours, and unknown sources. The identities of the NROL-3, 7, 8 and 9 missions are particularly uncertain.

NROL designations have been applied to all NRO payloads launched since December 1996, with the exception of the two QbX CubeSats launched in December 2010. Many different types of satellite have been launched under the designations. In 1997, two NROL missions were launched: The second launch under the system was of a Lacrosse radar imaging satellite, tentatively identified as NROL-3, whilst the third, NROL-4, put a Trumpet electronic intelligence (ELINT) satellite into orbit.

Four NROL launches occurred in 1998, beginning with NROL-5, also known as "Capricorn", in January. This placed the first SDS-3 communications satellite into orbit. The next launch, NROL-6, orbited a "Mentor" geosynchronous ELINT satellite. This was followed by what currently remains the only outright launch failure of an NROL mission, when the last Titan IVA launch, believed to have been designated NROL-7, was destroyed by range safety during an attempt to place a Mercury signals intelligence satellite into orbit. NROL-8 saw a Taurus 1110 rocket place the Space Technology Experiment satellite into orbit.

In 1999, NROL-9 saw the launch of a stealth reconnaissance satellite, later known as USA-144. The spacecraft has been identified as either being the second Misty satellite, or the only Enhanced Imaging System spacecraft to be launched. This was followed by two launches in 2000; NROL-11 placed another Lacrosse satellite into orbit, and NROL-10 saw an Atlas IIAS launch another SDS-3 spacecraft.

Four launches followed in 2001, starting with NROL-17, the GeoLITE experimental communications satellite, on a Delta II. NROL-13 then placed the first pair of NOSS-3 satellites into orbit, before NROL-14 put up another KH-11. The last NRO Launch of the year, L-12, orbited a third SDS-3 satellite.

No launches occurred in 2002, and in 2003 a Titan IV launched another Mentor satellite for NROL-19, followed by a second NOSS-3 launch, L-18, on an Atlas IIAS. In 2004 the last Atlas IIAS launched a fourth SDS-3 payload on the out-of-sequence NROL-1 mission. Three NROL missions were launched in 2005, beginning with NROL-23 in February. The last launch of the Atlas III rocket placed a third pair of NOSS-3 satellites into orbit. In April the NROL-16 mission saw the launch of the fifth and apparently final Lacrosse satellite, and in October the last Titan IV launched on the NROL-20 mission, deploying a KH-11.

2006 saw two further launches, the first being NROL-22 aboard a Delta IV-M+(4,2). The first NRO payload to use an Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle, an electronic intelligence satellite was deployed into a highly-elliptical 'molniya' orbit.

The satellite has been identified as either a continuation or, or a replacement for, the Trumpet spacecraft. The second launch of the year was NROL-21, on a Delta II. Believed to be a technology development satellite or a prototype radar imaging spacecraft, the satellite failed within hours of launch, and was subsequently destroyed by a missile in 2008.

In 2007 two more launches were conducted, both using Atlas V 401s. The first was NROL-30, with a pair of NOSS satellites. This launch was a partial failure, delivering the spacecraft to a lower than planned orbit, however they were able to manoeuvre into the correct orbit under their own power. The second launch of the year, NROL-24, saw a fifth SDS-3 satellite reach orbit. In 2008, the only NRO payload to be launched was NROL-28, another satellite in the Trumpet series or its successor.

A Delta IV Heavy launched a Mentor satellite in 2009, in a launch designated NROL-26. Last year, two further launches were conducted, the first being an Atlas V 501 with the NROL-41 spacecraft; the first in a series of radar satellites to replace the older Lacrosse spacecraft, developed as part of the Future Imagery Architecture programme. NROL-32 was launched in November with another Mentor. The most recent NROL mission was launched last month, when a Delta IV conducted the NROL-49 mission, deploying another KH-11 satellite.

Once in orbit, NRO payloads are usually assigned USA designations as their permanent names. Recent USA designations have been assigned sequentially, and assuming that continues, RPP will become USA-225. This is not always the case, however, as the STEX satellite never received a USA designation, and until recently the designations were not assigned sequentially.

The next launch of a Minotaur I is scheduled for April, when the ORS-1 satellite will be launched from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. The next launch to be conducted by Orbital Sciences is expected to occur later this month, when a Taurus-XL 3110 will launch the Glory satellite for NASA, along with three CubeSats. That launch will also take place from Vandenberg.

(Images via Orbital's LV Manual, ULA).

Цитировать5:04 a.m. local (8:04 a.m. EST)
Here's a quote from Vandenberg's post-launch press release:

"I am extremely proud of the large group of professionals that came together to launch this rocket. The 30th Space Wing and its mission partners have a long history of successful Minotaur launches and we are proud to continue that history again here today," said Col. Richard Boltz, 30th Space Wing commander and the launch decision authority.

ЦитироватьClassified satellite climbs to space on Minotaur rocket[/size]
BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: February 6, 2011

A trailblazing payload for the National Reconnaissance Office successfully rocketed into orbit on a Minotaur 1 booster Sunday, beginning a secret mission testing new ways to collect intelligence from space.

The Minotaur 1 rocket soars into the predawn sky over Lompoc, Calif., in this long exposure image. Credit: Gene Blevins/LA Daily News
 
The mission was codenamed NROL-66 in the agency's rocket acquisition naming system. The payload is also called RPP, which is short for Rapid Pathfinder Program.

"I commend everyone who made this launch successful," said Robert Brodowski, director of the NRO's advanced science and technology directorate. "This mission is just one example of our ability to rapidly build and launch small spacecraft with on-orbit capabilities that increase the value of NRO systems to our nation's future."

An NRO spokesperson disclosed before launch the payload will demonstrate better ways for U.S. government satellites to gather intelligence.

"If you have heard our director speak, one of his priorities is to have a healthy science and technology effort," said Rick Oborn, an NRO spokesperson. "This particular payload carries some of the work we do in techniques and methods to improve intelligence collection. All part of our work to keep improving the value of our data."

The U.S. spy satellite agency hasn't revealed what techniques or sensors the craft will test in space. Its cost, contractor and size are also secret.

But the lightweight payload launched on a Minotaur 1 rocket, the smallest booster used by the NRO since the agency's existence was declassified in 1992. The Minotaur's nose cone can fit a spacecraft as large as a kitchen refrigerator, and the four-stage rocket can haul nearly 1,000 pounds into low-altitude polar orbits.

"It is an NRO mission using a small rocket, which would denote a lighter payload," Oborn told Spaceflight Now.

The Minotaur launcher blasted off at 4:26 a.m. local time (7:26 a.m. EST; 1226 GMT) from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The launch was delayed from Saturday by a transmitter glitch in the Air Force's network of tracking and communications equipment.

The six-story rocket swiftly climbed into the predawn sky, breaking the sound barrier seconds later and shedding its powerful first stage a minute after liftoff. Its second stage burned for another minute to propel the rocket nearly 400,000 feet high.

Two more Minotaur stages were supposed to accelerate the vehicle to more than 17,000 mph before deploying the satellite.

An NRO press release Sunday said the launch was successful.

Based on safety information released to mariners and pilots, analysts believe the Minotaur rocket flew south from Vandenberg, dropping its spent rocket motors in the Pacific Ocean and achieving an orbit circling the planet's poles.

The Minotaur 1's first and second stages were pulled from stockpiles of decommissioned Minuteman 2 intercontinental ballistic missiles. The smaller Orion 50XL and Orion 38 third and fourth stage motors come from air-launched Pegasus rocket program.

Cobbling together unused government-furnished missile stages and commercially-available upper stage motors make the Minotaur rocket family an inexpensive launch solution for defense satellites.

The dimensions of the payload's orbit were unknown Sunday morning. The spacecraft could be circling in a polar orbit with a ground track nearly perpendicular to the equator, or the Minotaur could have been aiming for a sun-synchronous orbit commonly used by Earth observation satellites. Other types of north-south orbits were also feasible.

Sunday's launch was the first time an NRO payload flew on a Minotaur rocket.

Most of the organization's payloads launch on much larger Atlas and Delta rockets. The NRO's space fleet includes optical and radar reconnaissance missions, communications and eavesdropping spacecraft and ocean surveillance satellites.

The agency usually doesn't reveal the purpose of an individual payload. Rare exceptions include the STEX space technology experiment satellite and the GeoLITE communications testbed launched in 1998 and 2001.

Bruce Carlson, director of the NRO, told an Air Force Association meeting in September the agency is renewing its commitment to science and technology programs.

Carlson said he was troubled by a drop in science and technology investment when he became director in 2009.

Next year's NRO budget request will call for more science and technology funding, increasing the agency's research budget back to historical levels, according to Carlson.

"My plan is that ten years from now, when somebody is standing up here, they'll be able to say 60 percent of the technology that we put into this [new] satellite came out of our [science and technology] program," Carlson said in September. "Unlike the Air Force's and the other services' science and technology, mine is a little bit more predictable because even though what the particular advances are I don't know, I know that I'm pretty much going to be doing signals intelligence, I'm going to be doing imaging intelligence, and I'm going to be doing communications."

The NRO hasn't reserved any further flights on Minotaur rockets, but future technology demo satellites would best fit on small-class launchers.

The Minotaur 1's next flight is scheduled from Wallops Island, Va., in May with a satellite for the Pentagon's Operationally Responsive Space program. Called ORS 1, the spacecraft will carry an electro-optical and infrared sensor to supply battlefield intelligence to U.S. Central Command.

A larger Minotaur 4 booster will also launch in May from Kodiak Island, Alaska, with the TacSat 4 experimental communications satellite.

The next Minotaur launch from Vandenberg is expected in August. It will be a suborbital mission with the second Hypersonic Test Vehicle flight for the Defense Department's research and development agency.

ЦитироватьКартинки собственно пуска: http://www.spaceflightnow.com/minotaur/nrol66/gallery/

ЦитироватьНичего подобного раньше не видел

ЦитироватьЧто это за комбинизончик такой у нее отстегивается прямо в момент старта ?  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:
Ничего подобного раньше не видел

ЦитироватьСтарый, такой вопрос на засыпку: в чем смысл 90-градусного наклонения орбиты у "Транзитов"?  :roll:

ЦитироватьНасколько я понимаю сведение к нулю прецессии плоскости орбиты и таким образом стабильное расположение плоскостей независимо от высоты орбиты. Что важно для Скаута который выводил спутники на орбиты не очень точно.

Цитировать

ЦитироватьСтарый, такой вопрос на засыпку: в чем смысл 90-градусного наклонения орбиты у "Транзитов"?  :roll:

Насколько я понимаю сведение к нулю прецессии плоскости орбиты и таким образом стабильное расположение плоскостей независимо от высоты орбиты. Что важно для Скаута который выводил спутники на орбиты не очень точно.
 Как я понимаю по этой же причине и у Циклонов/Парусов/Цикад наклонение увеличили с 74 до 83 градуса.

Цитировать

ЦитироватьКак я понимаю по этой же причине и у Циклонов/Парусов/Цикад наклонение увеличили с 74 до 83 градуса.

А увеличение широты обзора тут никаким боком?

ЦитироватьСтарый, Вы монстр.  

ЦитироватьА не попадалась ли кому-нибудь вот эта эмблема покрупнее?
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/16656.jpg)

ЦитироватьPRESS RELEASE
Date Released: Sunday, February 6, 2011
Source: TASC

TASC, Inc. Provides Successful Mission Assurance for Minotaur I Rocket Launch

TASC, Inc. provided independent mission assurance, Minotaur I booster processing and day-of-launch support for the successful February 6 launch of a National Reconnaissance Office payload from Vandenberg AFB, CA. The Minotaur I launch is the 20th successful launch for the Minotaur family of launch vehicles, developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation and supported by TASC.

"We are proud that the efforts of the entire launch team, especially the hard work by the TASC engineers, culminated in continued success for the U.S. Air Force and the National Reconnaissance Office," says Pat Talty, senior vice president of Mission Engineering at TASC. "Twenty consecutive successful launches in 11 years is an extraordinary performance record."

The Minotaur I launch vehicle used for this mission utilizes surplus government rocket motors and commercial launch vehicle technologies and processes. Under the leadership of Orbital Sciences Corporation, TASC is a key member of the team that has developed the Minotaur family. "Once again, this launch proves the team's ability to meet the Defense Department's broad goals of greater efficiency, reliability and affordability," says Talty.

The U.S. Air Force Space Command, Space and Missile Systems Center, Space Development and Test Directorate, Launch Systems Division, located at Kirtland AFB, NM, manages the Minotaur rocket program. The NRO is a joint Department of Defense-Intelligence Community organization responsible for developing, launching and operating the nation's signals, imagery and communications satellites. The February 5 launch is the fourth of six NRO launches to take place during the agency's 50th anniversary.

About TASC

Founded in 1966, TASC, Inc., is a leading provider of advanced systems engineering, integration and decision-support services to the Intelligence Community, Department of Defense and civilian agencies of the federal government. With more than 5,000 employees in 40 locations, TASC generates $1.5 billion in annual revenue. For more information and career opportunities, visit our website at www.tasc.com.

ЦитироватьThe NRO used Orbital Science's Minotaur I to launch the Rapid Pathfinder vehicle – our existence proof for the fielding of Small Satellites
 - Rapid Pathfinder went from program design review to launch ready in less than two years at a cost of less than $20M
 - Small, low-cost bus carrying advanced technology component payloads
 - 95% heritage parts; 20x20x20 inches and 519 pounds with payload
 - Launched advance dosimeters to characterize the space environment from a 1,200 kilometer orbit

Цитироватьс данными гостя

ЦитироватьСпрашивается - а чего это такой ажиотажный интерес вдруг к круговым орбитам высотой 1200 км?   :roll:

ЦитироватьА начали воду мутить китайцы, запустив на 1200 км свой "Яогань-8".

Цитировать

ЦитироватьСпрашивается - а чего это такой ажиотажный интерес вдруг к круговым орбитам высотой 1200 км?   :roll:

А начали воду мутить китайцы, запустив на 1200 км свой "Яогань-8".

ЦитироватьКруговая орбита, наклонение 90, высота около 1200

ЦитироватьВ ноябре 2010 года на такую же круговую орбиту, высотой 1200 км, но правда отличающуюся по наклонению, была уведена ступень HAPS от другого "Минотавра". Эта ступень на этой орбите отделила два "весовых макета полезной нагрузки".

Спрашивается - а чего это такой ажиотажный интерес вдруг к круговым орбитам высотой 1200 км?   :roll:

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/23617.jpg)

ЦитироватьЖаль в этот список не включили ещё и технологии раннего обнаружения и спутникового перехвата.

ЦитироватьНе включили - потому, что ПРН и ПКО не входят в сферу ответственности NRO. :)

ЦитироватьМеня все-таки интересует приведенная на открытке циклограмма. Она реальная или типовая минотавровская, с сайта OSC?

Цитировать

ЦитироватьЖаль в этот список не включили ещё и технологии раннего обнаружения и спутникового перехвата.

Не включили - потому, что ПРН и ПКО не входят в сферу ответственности NRO. :) А так - свое вроде бы всё упомянули.

ЦитироватьThe science instrument teams – located at the University of New Hampshire, University of Iowa, University of Minnesota, New Jersey Institute of Technology and the National Reconnaissance Office in Virginia – will be sending commands to the MOC at APL. When the simulation calculates the spacecraft are in contact with a satellite station (located across the globe, including APL's 60-foot dish antenna), the MOC sends those commands to RBSP.

ЦитироватьMillennium Space Systems Sel ected by DARPA to Design Next Generation Tactical Imaging Satellites
Agency's revolutionary step aims to provide responsive and affordable situational awareness to warfighters and tactical users

February 01, 2013

Millennium Space Systems today announces a $1.91 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the first phase of the agency's Space Enabled Effects for Military Engagements (SeeMe) program. During this first of three program phases, Millennium will complete the mission specification, satellite design, and production planning for six prototype and 24 operational small satellites.

DARPA's SeeMe program aims to give mobile individual US warfighters access to on-demand, space-based tactical information in remote and beyond- line-of-sight conditions. If successful, SeeMe will provide small squads and individual teams the ability to receive timely imagery of their specific overseas location directly from a small satellite with the press of a button — something that's currently not possible fr om military or commercial satellites. Using a low-cost satellite constellation launched on-demand to match DoD operational tempos, SeeMe provides timely, on-demand imagery directly to the warfighter in the field. More on SeeMe can be found on DARPA's website at: http://www.darpa.mil/Our_Work/TTO/Focus_Areas/AdvancedSpaceSystems.aspx

Mike Scardera, Millennium's SeeMe Program Manager, commented, "We're pleased to continue our 9-year relationship with DARPA. SeeMe is a great fit for Millennium's culture of providing affordable, responsive, and on-time delivery of complex flight systems. We're excited to work with DARPA'S Tactical Technology Office (TTO) to help make SeeMe an unqualified success".

About Millennium Space Systems

Founded in 2001, Millennium Space Systems is a privately held, employee-owned small company, providing alternative and relevant solutions to today's aerospace challenges. The company's portfolio includes flight systems design and development work for the Intelligence Community, Department of Defense and National Aeronautics & Space Administration. Millennium has performed on several national defense projects, most recently demonstrated by the NRO's Rapid Pathfinder Satellite, launched in February 2011; Rapid Pathfinder continues to operate at over 99% availability on orbit. Millennium Space is based in Southern California, with Space Manufacturing facilities in Torrance, and a Mission Operations Center in Manhattan Beach.

More about Millennium Space Systems can be found at http://www.millennium-space.com.

ЦитироватьThe 13.09 revs/day mean motion puts it at 1225 km altitude. This altitude and the 90 deg inclination match the values of USA 225 [37364/11006A] that were reported to the UN. My guess is that this is USA 225.

ЦитироватьВиктор Воропаев пишет:
Западные любители наконец обнаружили (http://satobs.org/seesat/Jan-2014/0082.html) кандидата на NROL-66.

ЦитироватьВиктор Воропаев пишет:
В связке с 0.0001-lux видеокамерой.

ЦитироватьВиктор Воропаев пишет:
Для низколётов вполне нормально.

ЦитироватьВиктор Воропаев пишет:
Да, охранка. Поле ~ 3 x 4 градуса.

ЦитироватьNRO's Rapid Pathfinder Spacecraft marks its 3 rd year of near-flawless on-orbit operations
 
Built by Millennium's Space Systems, the Rapid Pathfinder Spacecraft exemplifies affordability and high performance in space systems development , and continues on-orbit operations at 99% availability since launch
 
EL SEGUNDO, California-February 06, 2014: Millennium Space Systems announced that today marks the 3rd year of near-flawless on-orbit operations of the Rapid Pathfinder Program (RPP) spacecraft, developed for the National Reconnaissance Office's Advanced Science and Technology (AS&T) directorate.
 
RPP launched 06 February 2011 from Vandenberg AFB aboard a dedicated Minotaur-1 rocket into a high inclination, high LEO orbit, to enable low cost space demonstration capability.
 
As a testament to its success, the Rapid Pathfinder Government Team received the 2011 DNI Intelligence Community's Non-Major Systems Acquisition Team Award.
 
Millennium is proud of its achievements in service to the NRO, whose leadership was instrumental in making the program possible. The RPP spacecraft is an exemplar of high quality, high performance, relevant space systems that can be built and launched responsively and affordably.
 
RPP is a micro-satellite class vehicle with full 3-axis stabilized high performance guidance & control, and flexible interfaces, key to accommodating different payloads, allowing for low risk and shorter integration schedules.
 
At-that-time NRO Director Bruce Carlson stated shortly after the launch , "RPP set a new price point for the NRO" – a new satellite design, delivered 24 months from PDR.
 
"RPP's proven platform and architecture serves as the foundation of our affordable, high performance flight systems offerings to support more disaggregated and resilient architectures for gap-filler and augmentation missions, as well as for insertion into future operational systems" commented Hillary Kenevan, Millennium's RPP Mission Operations Lead.
 
Conceived as a scalable architecture to support small to medium class missions demanding affordability, low risk, and responsive schedule-and that must-work, the RPP spacecraft has exceeded all requirements including its two-year mission design life.
 
About Millennium Space Systems
 
Founded in 2001, Millennium Space Systems is privately held and employee-owned. The company provides alternative and relevant solutions t o today's aerospace challenges, developing flight systems and mission solutions for the Intelligence Community, Department of Defense and National Aeronautics & Space Administration. The Space Manufacturing Facility and Mission Operations Center are in Southern California, conveniently located near LAX.

ЦитироватьСтарый пишет:
Важный момент - под индексом "NROL" могут летать и исследовательские и испытательные миссии.

ЦитироватьБезумный Шляпник пишет:
Ну как бы не до конца еще рассекретили. Что там за синий ящик с надписью Highlands Payload - пока не понятно.

ЦитироватьБезумный Шляпник пишет:
Что там за синий ящик с надписью Highlands Payload - пока не понятно.

ЦитироватьВиктор Воропаев пишет:

ЦитироватьБезумный Шляпник пишет:
Что там за синий ящик с надписью Highlands Payload - пока не понятно.

Сайт производителя aka Highlands - нашёлся?

ЦитироватьG.K. пишет:
Глядя на этот аппарат возникает у меня два военно прикладных вопроса: Является ли для спутников, в том числе не являющихся геостационарных, S-band стандартом частот для передачи телеметрии? Известно ли что-то о том, всегда ли ведется передача телеметрии, или только при пролете над США?

ЦитироватьВиктор Воропаев пишет:
Сайт производителя aka Highlands - нашёлся?

ЦитироватьS-band - самый что ни на есть стандарт. По крайней мере, был таковым еще недавно. См. SGLS (Space-Ground Link System)

Передача телеметрии - по крайней мере, станции за пределами США имеются. См. AFSCN (Air Force Satellite Control Network)

ЦитироватьG.K. пишет:
Известно ли что-то о том, всегда ли ведется передача телеметрии, или только при пролете над США?

ЦитироватьБезумный Шляпник пишет:
S-band - самый что ни на есть стандарт. По крайней мере, был таковым еще недавно.