NASA85 News

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration
Washington, D.C. 20546
AC 202 755-8370 p5 ,oib9
For Release

Jim Kukowski IMk.EDIATE

Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
(Phone: 202/755-3090)
Charles Hecknagel
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
(Phone: 301/344-5566)

HELEASE NO: 82-155

NASA To LAUNCH RCA SATCOM V

NASA will ilaunch the RCA Satcom V communications spacecraft

on a Delta 3924 launch vehicle from Launch Complex 17B, Eastern
Space and Missile Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force -Station, Fla.,

no earlier than Oct. 27 at 9J.10 p.m. EDT.

The 24-channel satellite will provide telecommunications and

video programminq services within Alaska and between Alaska and

the rest of the United States.

RCA Satcom V will Join four other RCA satellites, Satcoms 1,

11, 111-H and IV in orbit. The satellites provide coverage for
all 50 states and Puerto Rico with television, voice channels and
high speed data transmissions. Currently. there are more than
4eOOO earth stations with direct access to these spacecraft.

October 20, 1982

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This will be the first launch of a Delta 3924 vehicle,

although two Delta 3920 configurations have previously flown.
This three stage Delta vehicle consists oft an extended Long
Tank first stage with Rocketdyne RS-27 engine and nine Castor IV
strap-on solid motors for the first stage; the new improved
Aerojet AJ10-118K second stage; a Thiokol TE-364-4 third stage

engine. The entire vehicle is 2.4 meters (8 feet) in diameter

(excluding the strap-on solid motors) and .36 m (116 ft..) high.

McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Corp., Huntington Beach,

Calif., is the prime contractor for production and launch of the
Delta launch vehicle. The apogee kick motor. mounted inside the
spacecraft itself, is a [hiokol Star 30 motor.

HCA Americom, Princeton, N.J., is responsible for the

management of the RCA Satcom Program including acquisition of
the spacecraft, associated tracking, telemetry, command systems
and launch vehicle support. Spacecraft development and
production are the responsibility of RCA's Astro Electronics
Div., Princeton.

The Delta Project Office at the Goddard Space Flight Center,

(reenibelt, Md., is responsible to NASA's Office of Space Flight

for overall project management of the launch vehicle.

The Cargo operations office at NASA's John F. Kennedy Space

Center, Fla., is responsible to Goddard for launch operations
management.
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All launch costs incurred by NASA, including the vehicle

hardware and launch services, are reimbursed by RCA Americom.

RCA earth stations ate located near New York City, San
Francisco aaKd Los Angeles, and at Anchorage, Juneau, Nome.
Bethel, Valdez and Prudhoe Bay in Alaska.

During the transfer orbit, the Intelsat stations at Fucino,

Italy, and Carnarvon, Australia, augment tracking, telemetry and
command operations to provide improved global coverage. On the
seventh apogee, the Star 30 apogee kick motor will be fired to

produce a near-synichronous orbit. Positioning of the spacecraft

at 143 degrees west longitude above the equator will follow using
the satellite's on-board attitude-positioning gas system.

Nominal orbit characteristics are:

Transfer Orbit Satcom V
Apogee Altitude 35,786 km (19,323 nm)
Perigee Altitude 172 km (92 nm)
Inclination 24.93
Argument of Perigee 178.2 degrees

Operational Orbit
Station Longitude 143 degrees (iW)

(END OF GENERAL RELEASE; BACKGROUND INNFORMATI ON FOLLOWS.,)

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RCA SATCoM V DESCRIPTION

The HCA Domestic Communications

Satellite, RCA Satcom V is a
2 4 -channel
spacecraft to provide telecommunications
services
within Alaska and between Alaska
and the rest of the United
States. The spacecraft will be operated
by RCA Americom in a
joint license agreement with Alascom,
Inc. (the long distance
common carrier for Alaska).

The spacecraft will be placed into

a 35,900 km (22,300 mi.)
geosynchronous orbit by a Delta
3924. With solar panels deploy-
ed, the satellite spans 15.78 m
(51.8 ft.). The spacecraft main
body measures 1.42 by 1.62 by J.75
m (56 by 64 by 69 in.).

The RCA Satcom v's total transfer

weight, including the Star
30 apogee motor, is 1,104.: kilograms
(2,436 pounds). On orbit
weight is 589.5 kilograms (1,300
pounds).

The three-axis stabilized spacecraft

is equipped with the
power, a.ttitdxje control, thermal
control, propulsion, structure
and command, ranging and telemetry
necessary to support mission
operations from booster separation
through 10 years in geosynch-
ronious orbit.

Spacecraft life, with coritinluous

full power, is designed to
be 10 years.

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NASA/RCA SArCOM V TEAM

NASA Headquarters
Lt. Uen James A. Abrahamson Associate Administrator for
Space Flight
Joseph B. Mahon Director, Expendable Launch
Vehicle Program
Peter Eaton Manager, Delta
Robert E. Smylie Associate Administrator for
Space Tracking and Data Systems

Goddard Space Flight Center

Dr. Noel W. Hinners Director

John J. Quailn Deputy Director
William C. Keathley Director, Project Management
Rober-t C. Baumann Actinq Delta Project Manaqer
Wvilliam A. Russell Jr. Deputy Delta Project Manager,
Techniica 1
John D. Kraft Manager, [)elta Mission
Analysis and Integration
Richard H. Sclafford RCA Sa-tcom V Mission
Integration Manager
Hooert Seiders Network Support Manager
Ralph Banning Mis:,ion Support

Kenniedy Space Center

Hichard G. Smith Director
Thomas S. Walton D)irector, Cargo Operations
Charles D. Gay Director, Expendable Vehicles
Operations

D. C. Sheppard Chief, Automated Payloads

Division

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Wayne L. Mc-Call Chief,.Delta operations
Division

barry O)l ton Spacecraft Coordisxtor

wCA American Communicationis, Inc.

Andrew Inglis President

Johin Christopher Vice President of Technical

Operations

Peter Plush Manager, Major Programs and

Technical Operations Services

Joseph Schwarze Manaqer, Space Systems

William Palme Manager. Major Programs,

Launch Vehicle Integration

Joseph Elko Manager, Spacecraft Engineering

CONTRACTORS

HCA American Spacecraft management

WCA Astro Electronics Div. development/production
Princeton, NJ

McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Delta Launch Vehicle

Company
Huntington Beach, Calif.

HockeLdyne Division First stage engine (RS-27.)

Hockwell International
Canoga Park, Calif.

rhiokol Corp. Castor IV strap-on solid

Huntsville, Ala. tuel motors

rRYw TR-201 second stage engine

Redondo Beach, Calif.

Major Suocontractors

SPAR Aerospace Division Antenna Input and Output

STE-Anne-de-Bellevue
Quebec, Canada

Charles Stark Draper Labs Momentum .Vheel Assembly

Cambridge, Mass.

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. ..
Lockheed Space Systems Earth Sensor Assembly and
Division Horizon Sensor Assembly
Sunnyvale, Calif.
Thiokol Corp. Apogee Kick Motor (Star 30)
Elkton, Md. In spacecraft
Hughes Aircraft Co. Traveling Save Tube
Electro Dynamics Di-visioxi Amplifiers
Torrance, Calif.
Rocket Research Reaction Engine Assembly
Redmond. Sash.
Cubic Corp. Beacon Transmitter and Command
Defense Sytems Division Receiver
San Diego, Calif.
Parsons of California Structure and Solar Panels
Stockton, Calif.
Adcole Corp. Sun Sensor Assembly
-Waltham, Mass.
Northrop Corp. Rate Measuring Assembly
Norwood, Mass.

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(1ndex: Y, 21,)