Inaugural Launch
March 27, 1999 |
Sea
Launch's inaugural launch on March 27, 1999, validated the program
concept and demonstrated system capability. This was the culmination
of four years of intense development work performed by thousands of
aerospace and marine professionals throughout the world. The
payload for the first launch was designed to mimic the mass properties
of a 4,500 kg commercial spacecraft. The mission injected the satellite
into a nominal geostationary transfer orbit with 4,900 kg of equivalent
performance, which allowed the perigee to be lofted from 200 to
650 km.
Demonstrating the performance of a standard commercial
mission, DemoSat executed a precisely controlled flight profile
as one of the most highly instrumented test missions ever flown.
More than 130 sensors measured payload environments, validating
Sea Launch's ability to safely and accurately deliver the payload
to its orbit. |
Sensor
telemetry data was transmitted in real-time from the payload directly to
the command ship during line-of-sight communications, then via TDRSS relay
to North American land-based relay stations, and back to the command ship
via INTELSAT. A quick-look analysis was performed by team members at the
launch site aboard the command ship and by the Seattle-based payload integration
and mission analysis team. Over 16 gigabytes of post-flight recorded data
were analyzed to fully verify mission performance.
Demonstrating the performance of a standard commercial
mission, DemoSat executed a precisely controlled flight profile as one
of the most highly instrumented test missions ever flown. More than 130
sensors measured payload environments, validating Sea Launch's ability
to safely and accurately deliver the payload to its orbit. Sensor telemetry
data was transmitted in real-time from the payload directly to the command
ship during line-of-sight communications, then via TDRSS relay to North
American land-based relay stations, and back to the command ship via INTELSAT.
A quick-look analysis was performed by team members at the launch site
aboard the command ship and by the Seattle-based payload integration and
mission analysis team. Over 16 gigabytes of post-flight recorded data
were analyzed to fully verify mission performance. 
The
launch window opened at 2:15 p.m. PST, on Saturday, March 27. After a
brief delay in initiating the final count-down software, the five-hour
terminal count proceeded without interruption. Liftoff occurred 3.9 sec
after engine ignition with a gross liftoff weight of 1 million lb and
thrust of 1.6 million lb. Maximum dynamic pressure of 5,200 kgf/m2 was
experienced 62 sec into flight. First stage separation occurred at 2 min,
26 sec. Fairing separation occurred at 3 min, 20 sec. Third-stage ignition
occurred at 204.1 km altitude, completing the transition into the initial
injection orbit. For this mission, the third stage performed a second
burn for placement into the final transfer orbit. For other missions,
specific profiles are designed to maximize performance via tailored staging,
burn duration and multiple third stage burns as required.
Analysis
results indicated this launch was an outstanding success. Injection accuracy
was within 1.27 sigma of the target and environments met all success criteria.
The inaugural flight of Sea Launch reflects the efforts of the world's
most internationally integrated launch team. Through the harmonized efforts
of Boeing, Energia, SDO Yuzhnoye/PO Yuzhmash, and Kvaerner employees,
this launch demonstrates the tremendous feats that can be achieved through
global cooperation, serving a global market. |
