William Atkins
Friday, 29 August 2008 23:12
Science -
Space
Page 1 of 2
A Dnepr LV rocket launched successfully five RapidEye satellites from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Friday, August 29, 2008. Russian officials confirm that the German satellites have been positioned at equal intervals within the system's intended Sun-synchronous orbit.
According to the ISC (International Space Company) Kosmotras article “
RapidEye Satellites Successfully Launched into Orbit on Dnepr Launch Vehicle,” at 11:15:58 Moscow time (7:15:58 UTC) on Friday, August 29, 2008, the Kosmotras Dnepr expendable launch system, a converted Soviet-era SS-18 ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile), blasted off into space from its launch site in the country of Kazakhstan.
According to its website, ISC Kosmotras is geared toward the
“… development and commercial operation of the Dnepr Space Launch System based on SS-18 ICBM technology.”
ISC Kosmotras is a joint project of Russia, the Ukraine, and the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Fifteen minutes after launch a Russian tracking station verified that the satellites separated successfully from the upper stage of the rocket.
The Dnepr rocket later successfully injected five
RapidEye spacecraft into orbit about 392 miles (630 kilometers) above the surface of the Earth.
Further data from the Russian space agency, the Russian Federal Space Agency (
RSA, or Roskosmos), indicates that all systems of the satellites are working nominally.
They are evenly placed apart in a Sun-synchronous orbit—with a particular altitude and inclination—which allows each satellite to pass over a given point on Earth’s surface at the same local solar time. Such positions allow the satellites to image the same spot repeatedly.
Page two continues the Russian-German launch story.
