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Sat-ND,
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Officials said the satellites had trouble finding their proper orbit after an incorrect command was sent to the rocket's accelerator block. This is not first first time Russian rockets had problems with accelerator blocks. Especially the DM3 block, used for Proton launches, has had its problems--its most prominent victims were the Russian MARS 96 probe and, more recently, Asiasat 3 (now HGS-1.)
The lower orbit means that the Kosmos satellites 2352 through 2357 will have to be re-programmed to serve their purpose which, by the way, is acting as mailboxes for Russian spies all over the world--at least, if you are prepared to believe Russky Telegraf. The daily said the satellites were of the Strela-3 type and provide message storing and forwarding just as some commercial LEO satellite systems, but in this case for military purposes.
From their low-Earth orbit, they collect radio messages transmitted by Russian intelligence agents world-wide and send them back to Earth when over Russian territory. The satellites are supposed to circle the Earth every two hours, said Mission Control spokesman Anatoly Kiryushkin.
Reportedly, the system was highly classified until Russia decided to develop a commercial version to earn some money for its cash-strapped space programme.
AMRC's satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) will transmit signals directly to radio receivers in cars and homes. In March 1998, AMRC awarded a contract to Hughes Space and Communications International to build two HS 702 geostationary satellites, with payloads to be provided by France's Alcatel Espace. AMRC plans to launch its first satellite in late 1999 and to begin transmitting throughout the United States in the year 2000.
"We are thrilled with the opportunities and capabilities of the Max Power satellites. For a relatively small investment [US$52.9 million], they will give us a flexible and cost effective way to meet consumer needs," said Hugh Panero, President and CEO of AMRC. "We are currently determining what the appropriate mix of programming will be, but with the additional capacity provided by the Max Power satellites we will now have 100 channel capacity."
The "new and improved" LDR-4 payload, delivered to Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space Co., includes a new digital signal processor that's less than half the size and weight of the analogue unit it replaces, enhanced memory management capabilities and a new, lighter-weight antenna steering assembly.
The Milstar communications payload is the hardware that performs the satellites' onboard processing and signal routing functions. LDR-4 is the fourth of six payloads that TRW is producing under contract to Lockheed Martin, the Milstar satellite prime contractor. It will be integrated by Lockheed Martin into the fourth Milstar satellite, which is scheduled for launch in 2000.
Under current Pentagon planning, the Air Force will launch a total of six Milstar satellites. The first two satellites, launched in February 1994 and November 1995, respectively, are known as Block I satellites. They carry the TRW-built LDR payload.
Milstar satellites 3 through 6, which are designated Block II satellites, carry both the LDR payload and a new medium data rate (MDR) payload that expands Milstar's tactical communications capabilities. TRW provides the digital subsystem and antenna subsystems for that new payload, which is being integrated for Lockheed Martin by Hughes Space & Communications Co.
Operating primarily in the extremely high frequency (EHF) and super high frequency (SHF) bands, Milstar provides secure, survivable communications among the U.S. National Command Authority and Army, Navy and Air Force users anywhere in the world.
For this reason, the project was named High Altitude Lift-Off (HALO). The group is the Huntsville Alabama L5 Society (HAL5), a chapter of the grassroots National Space Society (NSS).
If Saturday is windy or rainy, the launch will be postponed until Sunday, or three weeks later on Saturday, July 11.
For safety reasons, the balloon will be launched from a barge (provided by NASA) out in the Gulf of Mexico, about 100 km southeast of New Orleans. June winds will carry the balloon about 50 km southwest as it rises to 33 km. The command to launch the rocket will be sent only once the balloon is safely over open ocean and the rocket is pointed away from land. The rocket... sorry, rockoon is expected to reach an altitude of 100 km. [Well okay, if they call that 'space'...]
The rocket utilises hybrid propulsion, whereby an inert solid fuel is kept safely away from a liquid oxidiser until the rocket is ignited. The solid fuel used for the HALO rocket is pure asphalt, the same material used on streets and roofs. The liquid oxidiser used for the rocket is nitrous-oxide, the same "laughing gas" used by dentists. This simple fuel combination is 85% as effective as the best aerospace industry solid rocket propellants, the HAL5 group said in a statement. [Children and terrorists {in alphabetical order}: don't try this at home for building your own bombs or missiles!]
HALO: http://advicom.net/~hal5/HALO/
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