National Aeronautics and

Space Administration
Washington. D C.20546
AC 202 755-8370

For Release IMMEDIATE

Press Kit
RELEASE NO: 77-250

Contents
GENERAL RELEASE................................... 1-3

SPACECRAFT DESCRIPTION............................ 4

ATLAS CENTAUR LAUNCH VEHICLE...................... 4-6

TYPICAL LAUNCH VEHICLE CHARACTERISTICS............ 7
LAUNCH OPERATIONS................................. 8
TYPICAL LAUNCH SEQUENCE FOR INTELSAT IV-A......... 9
ATLAS CENTAUR/INTELSAT IV-A TEAM.................. 10-11

CONTRACTORS............................~.....~~.. 11
INTELSAT IV-A COVERAGE FOR INDIAN OCEAN REGION.... 12

Mailed:
December 16, 1977
N/\sA News
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
Washington D C 20546
AC 202 755-8370

Fc jr Release
David Garrett
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. IMMEDIATE
(Phone: 202/755-3090)

Dick McCormack
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
(Phone: 202/755-8487)

Linda Peterson
Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio
(Phone: 216/433-4000 Ext. 415)

RELEASE NO: 77-251

FIFTH INTELSAT IV-A LAUNCH SCHEDULED

The fifth Intelsat IV-A commercial communications satellite

will be launched by NASA aboard an Atlas Centaur rocket from
Kennedy Space Center, Fla., no earlier than Jan. 6, 1978.

The satellite, which weighs 1,515 kilograms (3,340 pounds)

at launch, is intended for service in the Indian Ocean region.

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. ,. - . .. . . .. . . .. . . . . _.
 Intelsat IV-A(F3)satellite will be placed in ueostationary
orbit over the Indian Ocean at 6 3 degrees East longitude,
where it will provide international communications services
to some 4 0 countries in the Indian Ocean region. The satel-
lite has a seven year design life and the capacity to relay
more than 6,090 simultaneous telephone calls and two tele-
vision programs.

The Intelsat satellites are owned by the International

Telecommunications Satellite Organization (IMTELSAT). The

Communications Satellite Corp. (COMSAT), the United States
member, is also the management services contractor for the
satellite system. NASA is reimbursed for all costs of the
Atlas Centaur and launch services by COMSAT on behalf of
Intelsat, und-er rrovisions of a launch services agreement.

The Atlas Centaur AC-46 launch vehicle is expected to

place the Intelsat IV-A in a highly elliptical orbit of 5 4 8
by 3 5 , 9 4 0 kilometers ( 3 4 1 by 2 2 , 3 3 2 miles). After reorien-
tation of the satellite, a solid propellant rocket motor
aboard the spacecraft will be fired to circularize the orbit
at synchronous altitude 35,940 km ( 2 2 , 3 3 2 mi.) over the
equator. At that altitude, because the speed of the space-
craft in orbit matches the rotational speed of the Earth,
the satellite remains in position over one spot.

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The launch of Intelsat spacecraft aboard Atlas Centaur

rockets requires the coordinated efforts of a large govern-
ment and industry team. NASA's Lewis Research Center,
Cleveland, Ohio, has management responsibility for the
Atlas Centaur development and operation. NASA's Kennedy
Space Center, Fla., is assigned vehicle checkout and launch
responsibility once the vehicle reaches Cape Canaveral.

The Intelsat IV-A satellites, built bv Hughes Aircraft

Co., El Segundo, Calif., are 6.98 meters tall (about 2 3 feet)
and weigh 1,515 kg (about 3 , 3 4 0 lb.) at liftoff and 8 2 5 . 5 kg
(1,820 lb.) after apogee motor firing.

The Intelsat IV-A program represents an investment by

101 nations of approximately $ 2 9 5 million (U.S.). This
launch c o s t s approximately $ 4 7 million -- $18 million for
the satellite and $29 million for the Atlas Centaur launch
vehicle and related services.

(END OF GENERAL RELEASE. BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOLLOWS. )

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SPACECRAFT DESCRIPTTON

The I n t e l s a t IV-A s p a c e c r a f t h a s an o v e r a l l h e i g h t of
7 m ( 2 3 f t . ) and a d i a m e t e r o f 2 . 4 m ( 8 f t . ) . The h e i g h t
o f t h e s o l a r p a n e l i s 2.8 m ( 9 f t . ) . L i f t o f f weight i s
a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 , 5 1 1 kg ( 3 , 3 3 2 l b . ) , and i n - o r b i t w e i g h t
a f t e r apogee motor f i r i n g i s 825.5 kg ( 1 , 8 2 0 lh.).

Although i t h a s t h e same b a s i c s t r u c t u r a l d e s i g n a s
i t s p r e d e c e s s o r , I n t e l s a t I V , t h e I n t e l s a t IV-A s p a c e c r a f t
i n c o r p o r a t e s new a n t e n n a t e c h n o l o g y t o y i e l d a b o u t 6,250
two-way v o i c e c i r c u i t s p l u s t w o t e l e v i s i o n c h a n n e l s i n t h e
system c o n f i q u r a t i o n i n which i t w i l l b e used. This i s
t w o - t h i r d s g r e a t e r t h a n t h e communications c a p a c i t y of t h e
of t h e I n t e l s a t I V series s a t e l l i t e . The i n c r e a s e d c a p a c i t y
i s made p o s s i b l e by a new a n t e n n a d e s i g n which p r o v i d e s
coverage of l a n d m a n s e s on b o t h s i d e s of t h e A t l a n t i c b a s i n ,
u s i n g shaped beams. The e a s t e r n and w e s t e r n beams are s u f -
f i c i e n t l y i s o l a t e d t o a l l o w t h e f r e q u e n c y spectrum t o be
used t w i c e -- once i n t h e e a s t and once i n t h e w e s t d i r e c t i o n
-- t h u s d o u b l i n g t h e u s e of t h e f r e q u e n c y spectrum and i n -
c r e a s i n g t h e communications c a p a c i t y of t h e s a t e l l i t e .

ATLAS CENTAUR LAUNCH VEHICLE

The A t l a s C e n t a u r i s N A S A ' s s t a n d a r d l a u n c h v e h i c l e for

i n t e r m e d i a t e weight payloads. I t i s used f o r t h e l a u n c h of
E a r t h o r b i t a l , E a r t h synchronous and i n t e r p l a n e t a r y m i s s i o n s .

C e n t a u r was t h e n a t i o n ' s f i r s t high-energy, l i q u i d -

hydroqen/liquid-oxvgen p r o p e l l e d r o c k e t . Developed and
launched under t h e d i r e c t i o n o f N A S A ' s L e w i s Research C e n t e r ,
i t became o p e r a t i o n a l i n 1 9 6 6 w i t h t h e l a u n c h o f Surveyor 1,
t h e f i r s t U.S. s p a c e c r a f t t o s o f t - l a n d on t h e Moon's s u r f a c e .

S i n c e t h a t t i m e , b o t h t h e A t l a s b o o s t e r and C e n t a u r
second s t a g e have undergone many improvements. A t present,
t h e v e h i c l e combination c a n p l a c e 4,536 kg ( 1 0 , 0 0 0 l b . ) i n
low E a r t h o r b i t , 1,882 kg (4,159 l b . ) i n a synchronous t r a n s -
f e r o r b i t and 9 0 7 kg ( 2 , 0 0 9 l b . ) on a n i n t e r p l a n e t a r y
trajectory.

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C U T A h K VU E N OF AN INTFLSAT I\/-A SATFI I ITF

-- TtLtMfTRV L C O M M A N O BICONfS

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TRANSMIT
OLOaAL TRANSMIT
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SLACON
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LOONING I O n w A n o

TR A N S U I T T t R
TWTA

D f 4 R I N G A N 0 POWER

IDAPTA) imcooiniotcooaa
I N D O A I D S U N S n i t LO

POSITION A N D O R l t N T A T I O N couyAwo nScS,vILu

CONI P R O P E L L A N T T A N * # 141

SUN S l N S O R

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The Atlas Centaur, standing approximately 40.8 m (134

ft.) high, consists of an Atlas SLV-3D booster and Centaur
D-1AR second stage. The Atlas booster develops 1,920 kilo-
newtons (431,300 lb.) of thrust at liftoff using two 822,920-
newton (185,000-lh.) thrust hooster engines, one 266,890-N
(60,000-lb,) thrust sustainer engine and two vernier engines
developing 2,890 N ( 6 5 0 lb.) thrust each. The two FtL-10
engines on Centaur produce a total of 133,450 N (30,000 lb.)
thrust. Both the Atlas and the Centaur are 3,948 m (10 ft.)
in diameter,
Until early 1974, Centaur was used exclusively in com-
bination with the Atlas booster, It was subsequently used
with a Titan 111 booster to launch heavier payloads into
Earth orbit and interplanetary trajectories.
The Atlas and the Centaur vehicles have been updated
over the years. Thrust of the Atlas enqines has been in-
creased about 222,400 N ( 5 0 , 0 0 0 lb.) since its debut in the
space program in the early 1960s.
The Centaur D-1AR has an integrated electronic system
that performs a major role in checking itself and other
vehicle systems before launch and also maintains control of
major events after liftoff. The new Centaur system handles
navigation and guidance tasks, controls pressurization and
venting, propellant management, telemetry formats and trans-
mission and initiates vehicle events. Most operational needs
can be met by changing the computer software.

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TYPICAL LAUNCII VEHICLE CHARACTERISTICS

Liftoff weight including spacecraft: 148,060 kg

C326,419 lb.)
Liftoff height: 40.8 m (134 ft.)

Launch Complex: 36B

Atlas Booster Centaur Stage

Weight (with 130,317 kg 17,781 kg
propellants) (287,300 lb.) (39,200 lb.)

Height 21.3 m (70 ft.) 19.5 m (64 ft.)

with payload
fairing
Thrust 1,919 kn 133,447 N
(431,300 lb.) (30,000 lb.)
at sea level in vacuum

Propellants Liquid oxygen Liquid oxygen

and RP-1 Liquid hydrogen

Propulsion MA-5 system two TWO 66,723-N

822,921-N (185,000 (15,000-lb.)
lb.) thrust booster thrust RL-10
engines, one engines, 12
266,893-N (60,000 lb.) hydrogen per0xid.e
thrust sustainer thrusters.
engine, two 2,891-N
(650-lb.) thrust
vernier engines.
Velocity 9,205 km/hr (5,720 33,345 h / h r
mph) at booster (20,720 mph) at
engine cutoff CBECO) spacecraft separation.
13,061 km/hr (8,116
mph) at sustainer
engine cutoff (SECO) .
Guidance Preprogrammed profile Inertial guidance
through BECO, switch
to inertial guidance
for sustainer phase.

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LAUNCH OPERATIONS

N A S A ' s John F, Kennedy Space C e n t e r and i t s Expendable

V e h i c l e s Directorate p l a y key r o l e s i n t h e p r e p a r a t i o n and
l a u n c h of A t l a s C e n t a u r AC-46 c a r r y i n g t h e I n t e l s a t IV-A
spacecraft i n t o orbit.

The A t l a s and C e n t a u r stages of t h e AC-46 l a u n c h v e h i c l e

a r r i v e d a t Cape C a n a v e r a l A i r Force S t a t i o n i n August 1 9 7 7
and w e r e erected on Pad B , Complex 3 6 , l a t e r t h a t month.
Following c o m p l e t i o n of e l e c t r i c a l , pneumatic, h y d r a u l i c ,
p r o p u l s i o n and q u i d a n c e system c h e c k o u t and t e s t i n g , a T e r -
m i n a l Countdown Demonstration T e s t (TCD) w a s performed O c t . 21.
The TCD d e m o n s t r a t e d the i n t e g r i t y o f t h e vehicle-to-ground
s y s t e m s i n t e r f a c e i n a c r y g e n i c environment which d u p l i c a t e d
l a u n c h countdown c o n d i t i o n s .

T h e I n t e l s a t IV-A s p a c e c r a f t was r e c e i v e d S e p t . 2 1 and

underwent systems c h e c k o u t i n IIangar AM. T h e s p a c e c r a f t was
moved t o t h e Spacecraft Assembly and E n c a p s u l a t i o n F a c i l i t y
D e c . 14 where h y d r a z i n e l o a d i n g and e n c a p s u l a t i o n i n t h e pay-
l o a d f a i r i n g were completed.

T h e spacecraft-payload f a i r i n g assembly was mated t o the

l a u n c h v e h i c l e Dec. 2 0 i n s u p p o r t o f t h e Combined R e a d i n e s s
T e s t D e c . 22. F i n a l countdown p r e p a r a t i o n s f o r the planned
J a n . 6 , 1 9 7 8 , l a u n c h are t o b e i n i t i a t e d J a n . 3 .

A l l l a u n c h v e h i c l e and pad o p e r a t i o n s d u r i n g the l a u n c h

countdown a r e conducted from t h e blockhouse a t Complex 36 by
a j o i n t government-industry team,

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 TYPICAL LAUNCH SEQUENCE F O R I N T E L S A T IV-A
Earth Relative
Program T i m e Velocity Range Altitude
F 1igh t E v e n t s (Seconds) (Km/Hr Mph 1 Kilome ters/Miles K i l o m e ters/Miles

Liftoff rl 0 n 0 0 0 0

BECO 140.4 9,205 5,720 82.2 51.1 57.8 36.0

Booster J e t t i s o n 143.5 9,306 5,782 89.5 55.6 61.0 37.9

I n s u l a t i o n Panel 185.4 19,363 6,439 194.8 121.1 98.7 61.4
J e t t i son

SECO/VECO 242.5 13,061 8,116 386.5 240.2 144.9 90.1

Centaur Separation 249.5 13,059 8,114 393.4 244.4 146.3 90.9
C e n t a u r MES (1) 259.0 12,997 8,076 426.4 265.0 152.3 94.6
Nose F a i r i n g J e t t i s o n 271.0 13,205 8,205 468.5 291.1 159.2 98.9
C e n t a u r MECO (1) 629.2 28,029 17,416 2,278.0 1,415.5 189.2 117.5
C e n t a u r MES (2) 1,493.0 26,531 16,490 8,611.8 5,351.1 558.9 347.3
C e n t a u r MECO (2) 1,529.0 33,862 21,041 !‘,256.9 5,751.9 627.5 389.3
Spacecraft Separation 1,714.0 33,329 20,710 10,371.2 6,444.4 806.9 501.4
Reorient Centaur 1,719.0
S t a r t Blowdown 1,824.0

End Blowdown 2,134.0

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ATLAS CENTAUR/INTELSAT IV-A TEAM

NASA H e a d q u a r t e r s

John F. Yardley Associate Administrator

f o r Space F l i g h t

J o s e p h B. Mahon D i r e c t o r o f Launch V e h i c l e
and P r o p u l s i o n Programs

F. R. Schmidt Manager, A t l a s C e n t a u r

L e w i s Research C e n t e r

Dr. Bernard Lubarsky A c t i n g Director

Dr. Seymour C. Himmel Associate Director

Andrew J. S t o f a n Director of Launch V e h i c l e s

Richard E . Orzechowski I n t e l s a t Mission Project

Engineer

Kennedy Space C e n t e r

L e e R. Scherer Director

Dr. Walter J. Kapryan Director, Space V e h i c l e s

Operations

George F. Page D i r e c t o r , Expendable V e h i c l e s

John D. Gossett C h i e f , Centaur O p e r a t i o n s

C r e i g h t o n A. Terhune Chief E n g i n e e r , A t l a s C e n t a u r

Floyd C u r r i n g t o n Spacecraft Coordinator

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COMSAT
Dr. Joseph V. Charyk President

Eugene T. Jilg Assistant Vice President

Engineering

Allen M. McCaskill Manager, Launch Vehicles

Hughes Aircraft Co.

A. T. Owens Intelsat IV-A Project
Manager

General Dynamics/Convair Atlas Centaur launch

San Diego, Calif. vehicle

Honeywell Aerospace Division Centaur guidance inertial

St. Petersburg, Fla.
Pratt and Whitney
West Palm Beach, Fla.
Teledyne Industries, I n c .
Northridge, Calif.
measurement group
Centaur K - 1 0 engines
Digital computer unit/PCM
telemetry

Rocketdyne Division MA-5 propulsion systems

Rockwell International Corp.
Canoga Park, Calif.

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. . .. .
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IUTELSAT IV-A COVERAGE FOR INDIAN OCEAN REGrON

MADAGASCAR' LAURITIUS