Satellite News

When the Lockheed Martin team returned to work on the NOAA-N Prime weather satellite on 6 September 2003, it looked just like when they left it: sitting on an adaptor plate that connected it to a turn-over cart (TOC). But something important was missing — 24 bolts that should have secured the the adaptor (and the spacecraft on it) to the cart.

Rocket: Chang Zheng 2C/SMA; Payload: Huan Jing-1A, Huan Jing-1B (HJ-1A, HJ-1B); Date: 6 September 2008, 0325 UTC; Site: Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre, China. The two-stage rocket released the two satellites into a 650-km Sun-synchronous orbit 51 minutes after lift-off.

Rocket: Delta II; Payload: GeoEye-1; Date: 6 September 2008, 1851 UTC; Site: Vandenberg Air Force Station, USA. Following a nearly 59 minute flight, the spacecraft was deployed into a 681-km orbit.

Rocket: Delta II; Payload: GeoEye-1; Date: 6 September 2008, 1851 UTC; Site: Vandenberg Air Force Station, USA. Following a nearly 59 minute flight, the spacecraft was deployed into a 681-km orbit.