Delay in launching the Center for European gravitational Goce

Posted Apr 06, 2009 by smek3rasul / comments 0 comments / Print / Font Size Decrease font size Increase font size

Launch planned today at 14:21 UTC from Plesetsk space complex in Russia stopped at T-7 seconds due to a malfunction of one of the reported missile sensors.

Launch planned today at 14:21 UTC from Plesetsk space complex in Russia stopped at T-7 seconds due to a malfunction of one of the reported missile sensors. It is the second time Goce satellite launch is postponed. Previous testing was conducted in September 2008 but then found the fault was a serious part of the gyroscope navigation and control of its missile had failed and replaced. How this was one of the important parts and difficult to reach the missile was needed to move back in the hangar and a complex process of disassembly to gain access to track problems. 
This time it seems like it's not anything serious (probably only one of the sensors activated the launch) but the next launch attempt will take place no sooner than 24 hours because there are some stringent requirements for registration in orbit. 
In the following hours will probably make public more information on this incident. 
Rockot Breeze KM rocket is built by European concern Eurockot firm in cooperation with the Russian Khrunichev from an older ballistic missiles from the USSR (SS19). SS19 has a story behind the successful launch of the 140 who missed 3. The transformation of its commercial flights in 2000 flew 8 times that of a flight was completely blown when in October 2005 the European satellite was lost Cryosat1. Rocket has 3 steps, a length of 29 m and a launch weight of 107 tonnes, can enroll in a low orbit around the Earth cargo up to 1950kg. Advantage that the company will provide Eurockot market profile launch price is low compared with the rest of the competition-which is why it was preferred by the European Agency. 
Satellite will be included in a low polar orbit around the Earth (96.7 degrees inclination and 260 km altitude) and will be controlled by the European Space Operations in Germany, the first signal acquisition is expected at 90 minutes after the launch of Kiruna station in Sweden. 
Goce satellite will be part of a wider program of the ESA to study Earth's so-called Living Planet program among Cryosat2, swarm, Aeolus and Smos. 
Satellite, with a total cost of 350 million funded from the European budget, will study the precise record of Earth's gravitational field (geoid approximation will be made with an accuracy of 1-2 cm at a spatial resolution of 100km). 
Main instrument-Electrostatic Gravity Gradiometer is contituit of a set of 6 accelerometre (100 times more precise than ever launched into space on board for other missions). Besides it will fly on the same platform Satellite-to-Satellite Tracking Instrument (SSTI) - a very high performance GPS receiver and a Laser Retroreflector that interact with the network from the ground allowing a precise determination of the orbit and orbital position. 
Remarkable technical configuration is chosen. Because the satellite will orbit maneuver on a low coefficient and aerodynamic position in flight is extremely important and reflected the work of the chosen platform for the stabilization of aerodynamics and wings with supersonic aircraft similar. The 1100kg will be handled in space with a propulsion engine with xenon Ionica (40kg stored on board for a term of life of minimum 20 months).

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