Re: MMS launch; Payload separation, CCAM and fueldump visible from US

From: ronlee--- via Seesat-l <seesat-l_at_satobs.org>
Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2015 17:57:38 -0600 (MDT)
The launch window opens at 10:44 PM EDT (12 March)which should be
4:44 UT on 13 March.

Was thew 244 UT time below a typo or do the elsets need to be
adjusted for the 4:44 UT launch time?

What is the expected venting time after payload deployment?

Ron Lee






> An Atlas 5 rocket will launch MMS, the Magnetospheric Multi-Scale
> mission on April 13th, between 02:44 and 03:14UT, from CCAFS. The
> mission overview booklet shows that the Centaur upper stage will
> insert the payload into a 585x70169 km orbit inclined at 28.77
> degrees, after the stack has coasted in a LEO orbit to the first
> ascending node.
> http://www.ulalaunch.com/uploads/docs/Mission_Booklets/AV/av_mms_mob.pdf
>
> Based on the time, latitude and longitude of the MECO-2 and MMS-1
> separation events, I use the known perigee, apogee and inclination to
> fit the RA of the ascending node, argument of perigee and mean
> anomaly. The fit yield the following orbital elements, which are valid
> from MECO-2 to the MMS-1 separation:
>
> MMS GTO Coast (02:44UT launch)
> 1 84001U 15999A   15072.11388889  .00000000  00000-0  00000-0 0    00
> 2 84001  28.7700  29.0124 8332309  25.8172 339.9766  1.01758185    09
> MMS GTO Coast (03:14UT launch)
> 1 84002U 15999A   15072.13472222  .00000000  00000-0  00000-0 0    08
> 2 84002  28.7700  36.5268 8332309  25.9621 340.0397  1.01758185    05
>
> These elements span the start and end of the launch window.
>
> The payload consists of four identical spacecraft (MMS-1 to 4), which
> will be released in 5 minute intervals after insertion into the GTO
> type orbit. The following table gives the UTC timings from the mission
> overview, and the shadow entry and exit as per the elements.
>
> Event            84001     84002
> ================================
> Launch        02:44:00  03:14:00
> MECO-2        04:02:11  04:32:11
> MMS-4 sep     04:16:11  04:46:11
> MMS-3 sep     04:21:11  04:51:11
> MMS-2 sep     04:26:11  04:56:11
> MMS-1 sep     04:31:11  05:01:11
> --------------------------------
> Shadow entry  04:36:14  04:57:11
> Shadow exit   05:17:14  05:31:31
>
> As of yet there are no broadcast warnings that suggest that the
> Centaur upper stage will be deorbited. This may mean it will be
> inserted into Solar orbit. For either possibility, it is expected that
> the Centaur will perform a Contamination and Collision Avoidance
> Maneuver (CCAM), followed by the dumping of the remaining fuel.
>
> The ground track from the mission overview shows that the separation
> of the payloads and the subsequent CCAM and fueldump should be visible
> from the continental US. Note though that the payloads and upper stage
> will enter the shadow around the times specified in the above table.
>
> Regards,
>    Cees
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>


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Received on Thu Mar 12 2015 - 18:58:20 UTC

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