Athena I
 Launch of an Athena I on the Kodiak Star mission. | |
| Function | Smallexpendable launch system |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin Alliant Techsystems |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Size | |
| Height | 18.9 metres (62 ft) |
| Diameter | 2.36 metres (7 ft 9 in) |
| Mass | 66,300 kilograms (146,200 lb) |
| Stages | Three |
| Capacity | |
| Payload toLEO | |
| Mass | 820 kilograms (1,810 lb) |
| Payload toSSO | |
| Mass | 360 kilograms (790 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Athena |
| Based on | |
| Derivative work | Athena II |
| Comparable | Falcon 1 Minotaur IV Taurus |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Retired |
| Launch sites | |
| Total launches | 4 |
| Success(es) | 3 |
| Failure(s) | 1 |
| First flight | 15 August 1995 |
| Last flight | 30 September 2001 |
| First stage –Castor 120 | |
| Powered by | 1solid |
| Maximum thrust | 1,900 kilonewtons (430,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 280 sec |
| Burn time | 83 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB/AP |
| Second stage –Orbus 21D | |
| Powered by | 1 solid |
| Maximum thrust | 189.2 kilonewtons (42,500 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 293 sec |
| Burn time | 150 seconds |
| Propellant | HTPB/AP |
| Third stage –OAM | |
| Powered by | 4MR-107 |
| Maximum thrust | 882 newtons (198 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 222 sec |
| Burn time | 1,500 seconds |
| Propellant | Hydrazine |
TheAthena I,known as theLockheed Launch Vehicle(LLV) at the time of its first flight andLockheed Martin Launch Vehicle(LMLV) at the time of its second flight,[1]was an American smallexpendable launch systemwhich was used for four launches between 1995 and 2001. It is a member of theAthenafamily of rockets, along with the largerAthena II.[2]
The Athena I is a three-stage rocket, consisting of solid first and second stages, and amonopropellantliquid-fuelled third stage. The first stage is aCastor 120,which is also used on some versions of theTaurusrocket. AnOrbus 21Dmotor was used as the second stage on launches up to 2001.[3]The third stage is anOrbital Adjustment Module,fuelled byhydrazineand propelled by fourMR-107engines, which is used for final insertion.[4][5]
Prior to its retirement in 2001, Athena I launches were made fromSpace Launch Complex 6atVandenberg Air Force Base,Launch Complex 46atSpaceport Florida,andPad 1of theKodiak Launch Complex.
Four Athena I launches have been conducted, with one failure. Its maiden flight was conducted from SLC-6 at Vandenberg, and lifted off at 22:30UTCon 15 August 1995. It was intended to placeGemStar-1into orbit, however the rocket was destroyed by therange safety officerafter the failure of itsthrust vectoringsystem resulted in a loss of control. The launch was the first from SLC-6, which had originally been built for theTitan IIIrocket for launches of theManned Orbital Laboratory,and was later rebuilt for polar orbitSpace Shuttlelaunches. Both MOL and polar Shuttle flights were cancelled before any launches were made from SLC-6. The next Athena I launch was on 23 August 1997, and successfully placed theLewissatellite into orbit forNASA.This launch also took place from SLC-6 at Vandenberg. The third Athena I launch was from LC-46 at Spaceport Florida, and took place on 27 January 1999. The payload,ROCSAT-1,was the first satellite to be operated by theRepublic of China.The fourth launch, which was conducted on 30 September 2001, was the first orbital launch to be made from Kodiak Island. Known as theKodiak Starmission,[6]it successfully placed theStarshine 3,PicoSAT 9,PCSatandSAPPHIREsatellites into orbit.[7]
See also[edit]
- ALV X-1
- Comparison of small lift launch systems
- Comparison of solid-fuelled orbital launch systems
- Antares (rocket)
References[edit]
- ^Wade, Mark."Athena".Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived fromthe originalon 29 March 2010.Retrieved26 March2010.
- ^"Lockheed Martin and ATK Announce 2nd Generation Athena Launch Vehicles".Lockheed Martin. 25 March 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 28 March 2010.Retrieved26 March2010.
- ^"Taurus II"(PDF).Orbital Sciences Corporation.Archived(PDF)from the original on 26 March 2010.Retrieved26 March2010.
- ^Krebs, Gunter."Athena (LLV / LMLV)".Gunter's Space Page.Archivedfrom the original on 13 February 2010.Retrieved26 March2010.
- ^Wade, Mark."OAM".Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived fromthe originalon 1 April 2010.Retrieved26 March2010.
- ^"Athena I Kodiak Star Launch".NASA. 10 September 2001. Archived fromthe originalon 27 May 2010.Retrieved26 March2010.
- ^McDowell, Jonathan."Launch Log".Jonathan's Space Page.Archivedfrom the original on 7 May 2010.Retrieved26 March2010.