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GEOS-C (GEOS 3) Press Kit
GEOS-C (GEOS 3) Press Kit
GEOS-C (GEOS 3) Press Kit
SPACE ADMINISTRATION
W a l l o p Flight Center
Wallops Island, Va 23337
? Phone: 804/824-3411 Ext. 579
FOR RELEASE:
a Howard Allaway MONDAY,
Headquarters, Washington, D. C. March 31, 1975
(Phone: 202/755-8617)
Joyce B. M i l l i n e r
Wallops F l i g h t Center
(Phone: 804/824-3411 x579)
An E a r t h - o r b i t i n g s p a c e c r a f t designed t o measure p r e c i s e l y t h e
e a r l i e r than A p r i l 9.
C a l i f o r n i a , i n t o a c i r c u l a r o r b i t a t a n a l t i t u d e o f 843 kilometers
on a p a t h i n c l i n e d 65 degrees r e t r o g r a d e t o t h e equator .
t o - s a t e l l i t e t r a c k i n g as w e l l as r a d a r , l a s e r , and doppler t r a c k i n g .
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ev e r launched by NASA.
I n a d d i t i o n t o altimeter c a l i b r a t i o n , t h e p r e c i s i o n t r a c k i n g
d a t a w i l l be u s e f u l i n such s t u d i e s of E ar th dynamics as t e c t o n i c
theory.
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1 I1- I I I
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t u r n w i l l r e l a y t h e d a t a t o graund s t a t i o n s .
t h e s p a c e c r a f t c i r c l e s t h e globe i n i t s f i x e d o r b i t a l p a t h , l i k e a
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1 II 1 I I
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BACKGROUND
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experiments and i onospher ic s t u d i e s were continued.
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PROJECT DESCRIPTION
1. Demonstrate t h e f e a s i b i l i t y and u t i l i t y of s a t e l l i t e a l t i -
meters f o r measuring t h e geometry of t h e ocean s u r f a c e . With s u f -
f i c i e n t accuracy i n the det er mination of t h e g e o c e n t r i c p o s i t i o n of
t h e s p a c e c r a f t and with s u i t a b l e a l t i m e t r y , t h e geometry of t h e
ocean s u r f a c e can be described and s e a l e v e l deter minations can be
made. This, i n t u r n w i l l c o n t r i b u t e t o refinement of t h e p r e s e n t
knowledge of t h e geoi d ( t h a t i s , t h e l e v e l t h a t would be assumed by
t h e ocean s u r f a c e i n t h e absence of winds, c u r r e n t s , and t i d e s ) and
t o t h e i n i t i a l d e s c r i p t i o n of t h e time-varying behavior of t h e
o c e a n ' s s u r f a c e and t h e l a r g e r quasi- s teady s t a t e depar tur es of
t h e s e a s u r f a c e from t h e geoid- - sea s u r f a c e s l o p e s , t i d e s , geo-
l o g i c a l e f f e c t s on t h e ocean's s u r f a c e , e t c . The mission w i l l pro-
v i d e d a t a f o r t h e d e t e c t i o n and measurement of oceanographic f e a -
t u r e s such as s e a s t a t e , wave h e i g h t s , and major c u r r e n t s y s t e m s .
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1 I1 I I I
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M I S S I O N OBJECTIVES
1. To perform an i n - o r b i t s a t e l l i t e a l t i m e t e r experiment t o :
(a) determine t h e f e a s i b i l i t y and u t i l i t y of a space-borne r a d a r
a l t i m e t e r t o map t h e topography of t h e ocean s u r f a c e with an abso-
l u t e accuracy of pl us o r minus 5 meter s, (16% f e e 0 and with a
r e l a t i v e accuracy of 1 t o 2 meters (40 t o 80 i n c h e s ) , (b) determine
t h e f e a s i b i l i t y of measuring t h e d e f l e c t i o n of t h e v e r t i c a l a t sea,
(c) determine t h e f e a s i b i l i t y of measuring wave h e i g h t , and (d) con-
t r i b u t e t o t h e technology of f u t u r e a l t i m e t e r - s a t e l l i t e s y s t e m s w ith
a 1 0 -cen t imeter (4-inch) measurement c a p a b i l i t y .
6. To r e f i n e f u r t h e r o r b i t - d e t e r m i n a t i o n techniques, t h e determ-
i n a t i o n of interdat um t i e s , and g r a v i t y models with a s p a c e c r a f t
equipped with l a s e r r e t r o r e f l e c t o r s , C-band tr anponder s, S-band
tra n s p o n d e rs, and doppl er beacons.
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Unified S-Band system as a tool for geodesy and precision orbit
determination.
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SPACECRAFT
-- A r a d a r a l t i m e t e r - - t h e f i r s t t o b e c a r r i e d on an unmanned
s p a c e c r a f t - - t o demonstrate t h e f e a s i b i l i t y and u t i l i t y of using an
on-board a l t i m e t e r t o d e t e c t and measure oceanographic f e a t u r e s
such as s e a s t a t e , wave h e i g h t s , and major c u r r e n t systems.
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The C-band and S-band transponders and the d o p p l e r system a r e
mounted i n t he s a t e l l i t e . Also included i n the s a t e l l i t e a r e t h e
command system, t h e telemetry system, and t h e b a t t e r y which i s wired
t o the s o l a r c e l l a r r a y . A t h r e e - a x i s v e c t o r magnetometer f o r meas-
u r i n g t h e s a t e l l i t e o r i e n t a t i o n w i t h r e s p e c t t o E a r t h ' s magnetic
f i e l d and an electromagnet for s t a b i l i z i n g t h e s a t e l l i t e magnetically
a r e a l s o mounted i n t h e s a t e l l i t e .
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INVESTIGATIONS
Ocean Tides
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measurements. To a i d i n t h i s e v a l u a t i o n , t h e t i d a l a n a l y s e s of
GEOS-C a l t i m e t e r d a t a w i l l be c a r r i e d o u t on d a t a c o l l e c t e d i n areas
where ground t r u t h i n t h e form of bottom t i d e meter data i s a v a i l -
able.
I n a d d i t i o n t o g i v i n g t h e d i s t a n c e between t h e s p a c e c r a f t and
t h e ocean s u r f a c e , t h e GEOS-C altimeter d a t a , through a n a l y s i s of
t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of t h e r e t u r n p u l s e , i s expected t o provide i n -
formation on t h e sea s t a t e . I n p a r t i c u l a r , information on mean
wave h e i g h t , wave p e r i o d , and wave propagation d i r e c t i o n may be
determinable.
I n a d d i t i o n t o a n a l y s i s of GEOS-C d a t a i n terms of s e a s t a t e
parameters, t h e o b j e c t i v e s t h e s e i n v e s t i g a t i o n s include develop-
ment of information f o r use i n t h e design of f u t u r e s a t e l l i t e r a d a r
a l t i m e t e r s and det erm ination of p o t e n t i a l b i a s introduced i n t o
a l t i m e t e r sea s u r f a c e topography deter minations due t o s e a s t a t e .
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transforming altimeter geoid height data to gravity anomaly infor-
mation. The investigations also include the combination of GEOS-C
data with gravity field information from other sources.
Geological Investigations
Solid-Earth Dynamics
This category includes a l l analyses involving the determination of
Earth tides, polar motion, and changes in rotation rate of Earth. It
also includes determination of very precise positions on Earth's surface
using GEOS-C tracking data for such purposes as determination of fault
motion and crustal plate motion.
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Tracking Station Location Improvement
This category includes all investigations to determine the location
of tracking stations where the objective is geodetic in nature and not for
Earth dynamic purposes,
Several types of tracking data taken using the GEOS-C satellite can
be used to provide improved station location information that will be
useful in support of altimeter calibration and to support other project
objectives. GEOS-C will provide data from new stations, data of higher
accuracy than previously available, and data from new instrumentation
types such 3 s very long baseline interferometer (VLBI) measurements.
Orbit Determination Improvement
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PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS
Ocean Geoid
Ocean Tides
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Sea S t a t e
Barri c k , D r . D. E. NOAA
Black, P. G . NOM
Apel, D r . J. R. NOAA
Chovitz, B. H. NOAA
Sj o g re n , W. L. J e t Pr opulsion Laboratory
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Geological I n v e s - t i g a t i o n s
Kaula, Pro f. W. M. U n i v e r s i t y of C a l i f o r n t a I
S o l i d Earth Dynamics
Douglas, B. C. NOAA
Tapley, D r . B. D. U n i v e r s i t y of Texas
Ground Truth
P ie rs o n , D r . W. J. U n i v e r s i t y I n s t i t u t e of Oceanography
Tracking S t a t i o n Location
F i s h e r , D. Tel-Aviv U n i v e r s i t y , Tel-Aviv,
Israe 1
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Tracking S t a t i o n .L.oca.tipn .- .continued
O r b i t Determination
Unique System I n v e s t i g a t i o n s
Hofmeister, D r . E. L. General E l e c t r i c Company
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J
Second Stage
1 . . ...
* ' . . .
. ,
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1 I 1 I I I
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DELTA FACTS AND FIGURES
A diameter of 2.4 m (8 f e e t ) ;
A h e i g h t of 18 (60 f e e t ) ;
P r o p e l l a n t s of RP-1 kerosene as t h e f u e l and l i q u i d oxygen
(LOX) as the o x i d i z e r ;
A t h r u s t of 780,000 N (175,000 l b s . ) ;
A burning t i m e of about t h r e e minutes and 48 seconds;
A weight of about 84,600 kg (186,000 l b s . ) excluding str ap- on
solids.
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Diameter: 1 . 5 m (5 f e e t ) plus 2.4 m (8 f e e t ) attached ring.
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LAUNCH OPERATIONS
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.
TIME VELOCITY
EVENT (SEC. ) KM ALTITUDE METERS/SEC (FT. /SEC. )
MILES
Liftoff 0 0 0 0 0
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GEOS-C MANAGEMENT
Wallops F l i g h t Center
Robert N. Lindley D i r e c t o r of P r o j e c t s
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-
Goddard Space Fl-ight Center (con '.t..)
Robert C. Baumann Associate Director of Projects
for Delta
i
Kennedy S ~ 3 c . eCen.ter
.
Lee R. Scherer RCrectol
John J. Neilon Dj-rector, Unmanned Launch Operations
Experiment Managers
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Support Organi.z.a.t.ions
Spacecraft and Experiment Hardware Contractor: Applied Physical
Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University
Launch Site: Air Force Western Test Range, Vandenberg Air Force
Base, CA
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CONTRACTORS
HAFUIWA.RE
s
Delta Launch Vehicle McDonne 11 Douglas A i r c r a f t Corp .
A 1t ime t er General E l e c t r i c
SUPPORT
RCA Corp.
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