NK-33 Engine Test; Future Australia and Nevada Launches
Jim Varney (sat_watcher@rocketmail.com)
Fri, 13 Mar 1998 12:22:53 -0800 (PST)
Heads up for Australian observers and West Coast North American observers --
new boosters with old engines coming soon. From today's Sacramento Bee
newspaper:
"With a gush of flame, a cloud of smoke -- and a monstrous roar -- a
Russian-made rocket engine was successfully test-fired Thursday at Aerojet
in Rancho Cordova [7 miles east of Sacramento -- jv]. Aerojet is overhauling
a fleet of these engines for a commercial satellite-launch firm.
"The bell-shaped NK-33 engine burned at 5,000 degrees and delivered two
Boeing 747s' worth of thrust, said Dave Eccli, director of test operations
for Aerojet. The intensity of the 161-second test, which was conducted at
one of the remote sites on Aerojet's 14,000-acre complex, shook the ground
1,500 feet away, where officials of Aerojet and its commercial customer,
Kistler Aerospace Corp., had gathered. Because this is a commercial venture,
the normally secretive Aerojet permitted reporters at the test.
"The engine that was fired Thursday probably won't ever be used for anything
other than testing, Harris said. Aerojet is to deliver the first engine for
flight purposes sometime this summer, he said. Kistler plans to begin test
flights from Australia in October and launch its first actual commercial
flights from Nevada next year, Mueller said."
Anyone know the Nevada site coords and launch azimuths? I believe near Las
Vegas and launch north into polar orbit?
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Jim Varney
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