[meteorite-list] NASA's HETI Satellite Falls Through Atmosphere

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:50:24 2004
Message-ID: <200204072322.QAA01218_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/missions/satellite_falls_020407.html

NASA's HETI Satellite Falls Through Atmosphere
space.com
April 7, 2002

A satellite that had been predicted late last week to fall through the
atmosphere did so Saturday, according to early calculations made by the
United States Space Command's Space Control Center.

NASA's first High Energy Transient Experiment (HETE), the Argentine SAC-B
spacecraft and part of a Pegasus launch vehicle are believed to have
re-entered the Earth's atmosphere at approximately 10:55 p.m. Eastern
Standard Time on April 6.

Space Command indicates that the debris re-entered at 31.5 degrees North and
92.4 degrees East, according to a NASA statement. Less than 8 kilograms (17
pounds) were predicted to survive the re-entry process.

The vast majority of the object was expected to burn up in the atmosphere,
and HETE was not expected to survive re-entry. SAC-B and HETE were attached
to the Pegasus third stage using several payload attachment fittings.

The combined stack weighed 1,177 pounds (535 kilograms) and was just over
11.6 feet (3.5 meters) long with a diameter of 3.3 feet (1 meter).

The HETE-1 satellite was launched on Nov. 4, 1996, along with SAC-B, on a
Pegasus rocket from Wallops Island, Va. The Pegasus rocket achieved a good
orbit, but the third stage failed to release the two satellites. As a
result, SAC-B and HETE were unable to function as designed and both died due
to power failure within days of launch.

There were no reports of the debris causing any damage or injuries on the
ground.
Received on Sun 07 Apr 2002 07:22:51 PM PDT