Athena (rocket family)

Last updated
12-segment Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) derived reusable solid rocket booster (RSRB) first stage topped by one Castor 120, one Castor 30 and an OAMS orbit adjust module. Athena III would have been capable of placing a 4,600 kg (10,100 lb) satellite in polar orbit from Kodiak, or launch a 5,900 kg (13,000 lb) satellite from the East Coast into an orbit due east; however an East Coast launch site had not been selected. Kodiak was selected over heavily booked Vandenberg to avoid delays in high-priority rapid-response launches for the U.S. military. [11]

Launches

List of launches

Athena
Athena 2 - Lunar Prospector.jpg
Athena II with Lunar Prospector
FunctionSmall, modular component launch vehicle
Manufacturer Lockheed Martin
Alliant Techsystems
Country of originUnited States
Size
Height19.8 - 30.48 m (65 - 100 ft)
Diameter2.36 m (92 in)
Mass66,344 - 120,202 kg (146,264 - 265,000 lb)
Stages2 or 3
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Mass794–1,896 kg (1,750–4,180 lb)
Launch history
StatusRetired [1]
Launch sites
Total launches7
For breakdown by variant, see text.
Launch data. [2]
Success(es)5
Failure(s)2
First flightAugust 15, 1995
Last flightSeptember 30, 2001
Type of passengers/cargo Lunar Prospector
First stage – Castor 120
Powered by1
Maximum thrust1,900 kN (430,000 lbf)
Specific impulse 280 s (2.7 km/s)
Burn time83.4 seconds
PropellantClass 1.3 HTPB/AP
Flight numberDate (UTC)Vehicle typeLaunch SitePayloadResultRemarks
1August 15, 1995
22:30
Athena I (DLV) VAFB SLC-6 Gemstar 1 (VitaSat 1) (113 kg)Failure Athena-1 Gemstar 1.jpg
2August 23, 1997
06:51
Athena I (LM-002) VAFB SLC-6 Lewis (404 kg)SuccessPayload failed after 3 days in orbit
3January 7, 1998
02:28
Athena II (LM-004) CCAFS SLC-46 Lunar Prospector (295 kg)Success Athena 2 with Lunar Prospector.jpg
4January 27, 1999
00:34
Athena I (LM-006) CCAFS SLC-46 Chunghua 1 (ROCSAT 1, Formosat-1), (410 kg)Success
5April 27, 1999
18:22
Athena II (LM-005) VAFB SLC-6 Ikonos-1 (726 kg)Failure
6September 24, 1999
18:21
Athena II (LM-007) VAFB SLC-6 Ikonos-2 (726 kg)Success
7September 30, 2001
02:40
Athena I (LM-001) KLC LC-1 Starshine 3 (90 kg), PicoSAT (68 kg), PCSat (10 kg), SAPPHIRE (18 kg)Success Athena 1 rocket launching from Kodiak Island.jpg Kodiak Launch Complex's first orbital launch. [12]

Launch failures

Gemstar 1 (VitaSat 1) launch failure

On August 15, 1995, an Athena-1 rocket (vehicle DLV), failed during launch. Expended hydraulic fluid burned in first stage aft section, damaging nozzle feedback cables causing loss of gimbal control and tumbling. Separately, arcing in the IMU high-voltage power supply caused loss of attitude reference. Flight terminated by range safety officer at T+160 s. [13]

IKONOS-1 launch failure

On April 27, 1999, an Athena-2 rocket (vehicle LM-005), failed during launch. The payload fairing failed to separate, and the extra weight prevented the vehicle from reaching orbit. During the fairing separation event, the shock of the circumferential ordnance firing disconnected the cable carrying the signal to fire the longitudinal ordnance. [13]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alliant Techsystems</span> American aerospace, defense, and arms firm (1990–2015)

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References

  1. "Athena-1". Astronautix. Archived from the original on 2010-03-29.
  2. "Peacekeeper". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on September 4, 2003.
  3. Scully, Janene (27 September 1997). "Failed explorer returns to Earth this weekend". Santa Maria Times. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 Clark, Stephen (25 March 2010). "Athena rocket reborn under aerospace industry alliance". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  5. "Lockheed Martin halts Athena effort, plans some Atlas 5 overlap with Vulcan - SpaceNews.com". SpaceNews.com. 2017-03-10. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
  6. "General Dynamics to Acquire Primex Technologies, Inc" (Press release). General Dynamics. November 9, 2000. Archived from the original on 2010-02-06.
  7. "Primex Technologies, Inc. Shareholders Approve Acquisition by General Dynamics" (Press release). GD. January 24, 2001. Archived from the original on 2008-11-20.
  8. "Lockheed Martin Athena I Launch Vehicle Successfully Completes First Launch From Alaska's Kodiak Launch Complex" (Press release). LM. September 28, 2001. Archived from the original on 2009-09-15.
  9. ATK Space Propulsion Products Catalog, May 2008, p. 93
  10. Day, Dwayne. "Athena rising?" . Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  11. Lockheed Martin Connecting with Kodiak, Satnews Daily, March 05, 2012
  12. NASA: Kodiak Star 2001 Archived 2012-03-24 at the Wayback Machine
  13. 1 2 Isakowitz, Steven J.; Hopkins, Joseph P.; Hopkins, Joshua B. (2004). International reference guide to space launch systems (4th ed.). Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. p.  50. ISBN   978-1-56347-591-7. OL   8644116M.