gtsvNews

Ndtional Aeronautics and

Space Administration
Washington D C 20546
AC 202 755-8370

For Release IMMEDIATE

Project
Press Kit Marisat-A

RELEASE NO: 76-22

Contents
1-4
GENERAL RELEASE ..................................
5
SYSTEM ...............
MARISAT-A TELECOMMUNICATIONS
5-6
LAUNCH OPERATIONS ...............................
6-7
FACTS AND FIGURES .............
STRAIGiT-EIGHT DELTA
8-9
FLIGHT EVENTS ................
MAJOR DELTA/MARISAT-A
.. TEAM................................
ARISAT-A/DELTA
National Aeronautics and
;pacco AdrninictratiolI
Washington. D C 20546
AC 202 755-8370

For Release

F. Dennis Williams Immediate

Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
(Phone: 202/755-3897)

James S. Lacy
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
(Phone: 301/982-5565)

RELEASE NO: 76-22

NASA TO LAUNCH MARISAT FOR COMSAT GENERAL

NASA will launch the first satellite for a new maritime

about
communications system for Cape Canaveral's Complex 17B

Feb. 19.

Called Marisat-A the satellite will be placed in geo--

synchronous orbit over the equator at 15 degrees west longi--

of
tude above the Atlantic Ocean about 500 miles southwest

the coast of Liberia. A second Marisat, Marisat-B will be

positioned over the racific later this year.

- more -
 -2-
The satellite system will be owned
and operated by a
consortium headed by the Comsat
General Corp. Comsat General
will fully reimburse NASA for the
Delta 2914 launch vehicle,
launch services, and related costs.

Immediately upon satisfactory

the orbital placement of the MARISATcompletion of
and their operational testing, U.S. satellites
commercial services will begin. Navy and
Commercial
phone, telex and data communications tele-
be available linking ships and offshoreservices will
at sea with shore stations interconnected facilities
U.S. domestic and international into the
common
telephone and record/data communications carrier
worldwide. networks

Production quantities of MARISAT

minals have been produced and many mobile ter-
chased or leased from COMSAT General have been pur-
on ships flying the flag of a number and installed
the world. Commercial common carrier of nations of
MARISAT is expected to begin in service via
early April.
The U.S. Navy will be a substantial
of the MARISAT system, using capacity customer
at
frequencies for operational communications different
pending the completion of its own and
Fleet
Communications (FLEETSATCO0I) System. Satellite

The U.S. Maritime Administration

into a contract with COMISAT General has entered
certain demonstrations of various to provide for
MARISAT system
uses.

A Dolta 2914 launch vehicle -will

carry the 655-kilogram
4
(4 45-pounct) Marisat-A into a highly
elliptical transfer orbit
6 7 6
of 3 , 2-kilometer (22,825-mile)
dnce
md 185-:m (lS-mi)
perigee, with an inclination off 2G Ciecree
t o Lm
' ar;l'.
equator.

*1"
 -3-
At Lhis point, Comsat General takes over responsibility
for tracking, command and control of the satellite. Support
will not be required from NASA's ground stations following
the launch. A 293-kg (646-lb.) apogee kick motor, augmented
by an on-board hydrazine system, will later boost Marisat-A
from its elliptical transfer orbit into an Earth-synchronous
orbit at an altitude of 35,788 km (22,220 mi.), inclined 2.5
degrees to the equator.

The spacecraft's speed in orbit at this altitude main-

tains its location over the Atlantic. Small gas jets on the
spacecraft keep it on station and oriented properly to receive

and retransmit signals from Earth.

The new satellite system will permit rapid, high

quality communications between ships at sea and home offices.

Telephozne and Telex messages may be exchanged without fear

of interference or delay due to severe weather or ionospheric
disturbances that might interrupt radio traffic. The satellite
service is expected to significantly improve the communication
of distress, safety, search and rescue, and weather rcrorts.

- more
 -4-

The Delta project and the launch are managed for

Flight
NASA's Office of Space Flight by the Goddard Space

Center, Greenbelt, Md. Prime contractor for the

Delta rocxet is McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company,

Huntington Beach, Calif. Prime contractor for the Marisat

spacecraft is Hughes Aircraft, Culver City, Calif.

(END OF GENERAL RELEASE. BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOLLOWS.)

- more -
 THE MARISAT-A TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

The Marisat-A satellite will contain three UH1F channels

for U.S. Government use, any or all of which can be activated or
deactivated by ground command. In addition, Marisat-A will
contain two channels, both approximately 4 M11z wide operating in
the L and C bands. One channel will translate shore-to-ship
siqnals from 6 G11z to 1.5 GHz; the other will translate ship-to-
shore signals from 1.6 GlIz to 4 Gliz.

Earth stations employing 42 ft. diameter antennas which

will operate with Marislt are at Southbury, Conn. and Santa
Paula, Calif. These stations will provide the fixed earth/
satellite communications links in the 6/4 G1Iz bands and will
also relay tracking, telemetry and command information between
the satellites and the Comsat General System Control Center
located in Washington, D.C.

The satellite UHIF channels which are completely separate

from the L and C band channels will be used by the U.S. Government
through its own terminal facilities.

LAUNCH OPERATIONS
The spacecraft will be launched from Complex 17B at the
Eastern Test Range, Fla., by a three stage Delta launch vehicle.

First Stage:

The first stage is a McDonnell Douglas modified Thor

booster incorporating nine strap-on Thiokol solid-fuel rocket
motors. The booster is powered by a Rocketdyne engine using
liquid oxygen and liquid hydrocarbon propellants. The main
engine is gimbal-mounted to provide pitch and yaw control from
liftoff to main engine cutoff (01ECO).

Second Stage:

The second stage is powered by a TRW1 liquid-fuel, pressure-

fed engine that also is gimbal-mounted to provide pitch and yaw
control through all second stage burns. A nitrogen gas system
uses eight fixed nozzles for roll control during powered and coast
flight, as well as pitch and yaw control during coast and after
second stage cutoffs. Two fixed nozzles, fed by the propellant
tank helium pressurization system, provide retrothrust after third
stage separation. Eight minutes after Spacecraft Separation (25:16
GET) the second stage will be reignited for a two second burn (33:22
GFT). Data on this burn will be collected for studies related to
future Delta missions.
- more -

-)
 -6-
Third Stare:

The third stage is

propellant Thiokol motor. the TE-364-4 spin-stabilized, solid-
to the second stage. It is secured in a spin table
mounted
The firing of eight solid-propellant
rockets fixed to the spin
stage spacecraft assembly. table accomplishes spin-up of the third

Injection into Synchronous

Orbit
The Delta vehicle will inject
orbit having an apogee of Marisat-A into a transfer
NASA/Delta responsibilities 36,762 km (22,825 mi.). At this point
and data analysis become end. Command, control, tracking
the responsibilities of Comsat and the
Comsat General Control Center,
will, for example, command in Washington, D.C. The
the apogee kick motor on center
apogee (for a 4 3 -second the fourth
burn) two days after launch,
spacecraft into a geosynchronous placing the
orbit of 35,788 km (22,220
mi.).

STRAIGHT-EIGHT DELTA FACTS

AND FIGURES
The Delta has the following
general characteristics:
Height: 35.4 m (116 ft.)
Maximum diameter: including shroud
2.4 m (8 ft.) without attached
Liftoff weight: 133;180 solids
Liftoff thrust: 1,741,475kg (293,000 lbs.)
Newtons (391,343 lbs.) including
strap-on solids.
First Stage -- (Liquid only) consists of an extended
tank Thor, produced by McDonnell long
are produced by the Rocketdyne Douglas. The RS-27 engines
tional. The stage has the Division of Rockwell
following characteristics:Interna-
Diameter: 2.4 m (8 ft.)
Height: 21.3 m (70 ft.)
Propellants: RJ-1 kerosene
as the fuel and liquid oxygen
(LOX) as the oxidizer
Thrust: 912,000 N (205,000
Burning time: about 3.48 lbs.)
Weight: about 84,600 kg minutes
(186,000 lbs.) excluding strap-on
solids.

- more -

Sp'
 -7--
Strap-on solids consist of nine solid propellant rockets
produced by the Thiokol Chemical Corp., with the following
features:

Diameter: 0.8 m (31 in.)

Height: 7 mn (23.6 ft.)
Total Weight: 40,300 kg (88,650 lbs.) for nine
4,475 kg (9,850 lbs.) each
Thrust: 2,083,000 N (468,000 lbs.) for nine
231,400 N (52,000 lbs.) for each
Burning Time: 38 seconds

Second Stage -- Produced by McDonnell Douglas Astronautics

Co., utilizing a TRW TR-201 rocket engine. Major contractors
for the vehicle inertial guidance system located on the second
stage are Hamilton Standard and Teledyne.

Propellants: Liquid, consists of aerozene 50 for the fuel

and nitrogen tetroxide (Ul
2 0 4) for the oxidizer.

Diameter: 1.5 m (5 ft.) plus 2.4 m (8 ft.) attached ring

Height: 6.4 m (21 ft.)
Welght: 6,180 kg (13,596 lbs.)
Thrust: about 42,923 N (9,650 lbs.)
Total burning time: 335 secs.

Third Stage: Thiokol Chemical Co. TE -364-4 motor

PropellanLS: solid
Height: 1.4 m (4.5 ft.)
Diameter: 1 m (3 ft.)
Weight: 1,160 kg (2,560 lbs.)
Thrust: 61,858 N (13,900 lbs.)
Burning time: 44 secs.

The Delta Project is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight

Center, Greenbelt, Md. Launch services are provided by NASA's
Kennedy Space Center, Fla. McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co.,
Huntington Beach, Calif. is the Delta prime contractor and Hughes
Aircraft Co., Culver City, Calif., built the spacecraft for Comsat
General.

- more -
 0 m 0oN C-o
H N CY) N Kr m (rsN O o
E-4 ,
HN
,
Hs N
r.~ ko
'.o K
v Crv
0 N
s
'0 0
N (N4 N 0 I
N- - - .- N N N CO LA C 1
C (N N v7 s H H H r-f (N N

El
H
H
U

>0

U) 0 LO Ln 0 LA 0o D LA
O 0o a' 0 am Ln N ( (N
U) Ln LA H H H (N n NT
> co a
M LA Ln I I I I I I I
C 'D kD H H Ln LA
n n rL
N

L'<
U) N
H

a . a o o

H O a CO N ODo
H 0 H
Oc IV 0 H LA '. '0 H- H H

C 0 H H m CO C
(qSN (N H H H H H H H
uN C: - -4 rI 1 11 -
H
U)
H
H m in rL
N L N H H
H- N- 0O 0 %.0 rNl N- '0 VI LA
i J -i Q "T IT t- 1- In v U) Ul)
f: c * c a oo N- - - - I
EH EH I C a 'c.
0 Co O
N 0 H H NS m C 'IT LA LA Ln

0
U. . * * * U) O
U) Enl aJ) ci 01) U Ci) )
)n U) U) U* 0) (A

0 0 CO O CO OD O O
0 u U H N LA H
o
u a) a)
N O) O)
U) *

H U) C)c)rz
CO a' *U-4 *a- *a- *C r
H 0} C
(N (N
H H (1 l a' N9 (N
L4 E L4-

- h 4 I
h4 I 4J 0 0J
O
O 0 0 4. to
U) U
40 O- u 4- ci)
O Er3 0O 4J O O
V V ^y 0) o o,-4 4

O O-
-H Or O a a, ' (
4O O L -J) H U)
O) ri 0O O O t 4 4 44
;Z, 0w - ) U)W mU) n .O 4J 0 14
0 V)0 ci)J a )0 *'4 J W
J 4) 4 *-H C r- O zQ0
_. C a; -A-
H O 3-ii 4 0 0 4J 0 I
44 ~4 X~4r- W C4J H-,I S4-ir(U U~ -H U"-
44UU) U -)
> -1 -,q :3 4 l IC l . ) roui2 Z *H 4.) a) 0 rt a) 4O 0)a) 0)
w (Jdm -Hi- E-4 Z 7 mo?
; - U) H [J- c0 U)~
a, )

-more-

.#I
 0
o' C0 CN
oA H
0 0 o n to
%
D wD U) n
> XN CN CN X
Er'
H
0
U
>4

C0 i1
n
co) in
H o)
o(
in in -4 ('
r- r- 0 0 0

H
U) ,Ni v )
UIE t

i N N H H O

HH
i1Eh H H H fn

E C'4 CN ('4N
C

1:1

O. .

U) U U O U)
o 1 N eM
CN vD H

H E E E E E
N N CN CN N1

U) 4) V) 4J

ru .) UQ (1 . V U
EW rf 0) -H C
V O -
Z 4
.. U
) *'-C
tn *d
Wf Er,:n u H Q E- O

-more-
 -10-

MARISAT-A/DELTA TEAM

Goddard Space Flight Center

Dr. John F. Clark Director

Robert S. Cooper Deputy Director

Robert Lindley Director of Projects

Tecwyn Roberts Director of Networks
Albert G. Ferris Director of Mission and
Data Operations
Robert C. Baumann Associate Director of Projects
for Della
Robert Goss Chief, Mission Analysis and
Integration Branch, Delta
Project Office
Robert L. Tucker Delta Mission Integration
Engineer
William E. Hawkins Network Support Manager
Dale Call Network Director
Robley E. Sawyer Network Operations Manager
Wayne Murry Network Operations Manager
Walter V. Frazier NASA Communications rngineer

Marisat-A Program Management

Edward J. Martin Assistant Vice President,
Mobile Systems, Comsat General
Eugene T. Jilg Assistant Vice President,
Engineering, Comsat

- more -
 -11-

NASA Headquarters

John F. Yardley Associate Administrator

for Space Flight

Joseph B. Mahon Director, Expendable Launch

Vehicle Program

I. T. Gillam IV Manager, Small Launch Vehicle

and Integration Program

Peter Eaton Manager, Delta Program

February 6, 1976