- OPS 0855
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OPS 0855
Launch of OPS 0855 with OV4-1, OV1-6 and Gemini BOperator US Air Force Major contractors Martin Marietta Mission type Technology Launch date 3 November 1966
13:50 GMTCarrier rocket Titan IIIC Launch site CCAFS LC-40 Mission duration Planned: 75 days
Achieved: 30 daysOrbital decay 9 January 1967 COSPAR ID 1966-099A Mass 9,680 kilograms (21,300 lb) Orbital elements Regime Low Earth Inclination 32.82° Apoapsis 298 kilometres (185 mi) Periapsis 305 kilometres (190 mi) OPS 0855, also designated OV4-3, was a boilerplate Manned Orbital Laboratory spacecraft launched in 1966. It was flown to demonstrate the launch configuration for future MOL missions. A number of research payloads, designated Manifold were carried aboard it, which were intended to operate for 75 days, however the spacecraft ceased operations after just 30. It was built from a decommissioned HGM-25A Titan I first stage oxidiser tank, bolted to a Transtage. It was part of the MOL and Orbiting Vehicle projects.
The Manifold experimental package consisted of two micrometeoroid detection payloads, a transmitter beacon designated ORBIS-Low, a cell growth experiment, a prototype hydrogen fuel cell, a thermal control experiment, a propellent transfer and monitoring system to investigate fluid dynamics in zero gravity, a prototype attitude control system, an experiment to investigate the reflection of light in space, and an experiment into heat transfer. The spacecraft was painted to allow it to be used as a target for an optical tracking and observation experiment from the ground.[1][2]
OPS 0855 was the primary payload of Titan IIIC 3C-9,[3] which was launched from LC-40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on 3 November 1966.[4] The Gemini B prototype was flown on the same rocket, and was released onto a suborbital trajectory during launch. The adaptor connecting the Gemini spacecraft to OPS 0855 contained three additional spacecraft, two OV4-1 satellites, and OV1-6. These were released into low Earth orbit.
OPS 0855 entered an orbit with an apogee of 298 kilometres (185 mi), a perigee of 305 kilometres (190 mi), and 32.82 degrees of inclination.[2] It received the COSPAR International Designator 1966-099A, and remained in orbit until its decay on 9 January 1967.[5] No further MOL missions were flown, following the cancellation of the project in June 1969.
References
- ^ Heyman, Jos (2005-04-12). "OV". Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. Designation Systems. http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app3/ov.html. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
- ^ a b Krebs, Gunter. "OV4 3". Gunter's Space Page. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/ov4-3.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. http://www.planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
- ^ Wade, Mark. "OV4". Encyclopedia Astronautica. http://www.astronautix.com/craft/ov4.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. http://www.planet4589.org/space/log/satcat.txt. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
← 1965 · Orbital launches in 1966 Kosmos 104 | OPS 2394 | OPS 7253 · OPS 3179 | Kosmos 105 | Kosmos 106 | OPS 1593 | Luna 9 | OPS 7291 | ESSA-1 | OPS 1439 | Kosmos 107 | Kosmos 108 | OPS 1184 · OPS 3011 · OPS 3031 | Dipason | Kosmos 109 | DS-K-40 No.2 | Kosmos 110 | ESSA-2 | Kosmos 111 | OPS 3488 | GATV-5003 | Gemini VIII | Kosmos 112 | OPS 0879 · OPS 0974 | Kosmos 113 | N-4 No.3 | OPS 1117 | Molniya-1 No.5 | OV1-4 · OV1-5 | OPS 0340 | Luna 10 | Kosmos 114 | OPS 1612 | Surveyor SD-3 | OAO-1 | OPS 0910 | Kosmos 115 | OV3-1 | Molniya 1-03 | Kosmos 116 | OPS 1508 | Kosmos 117 | Kosmos 118 | OPS 1950 · OPS 6785 | Nimbus 2 | Zenit-4 | GATV-5004 | OPS 0082 | OPS 1788 | Kosmos 119 | Explorer 32 | Surveyor 1 | ATDA | Gemini IX | OPS 1577 · OPS 1856 | OGO-3 | Kosmos 120 | OV3-4 | FTV-1351 · Secor 6 · ERS-16 | OPS 9311 · OPS 9312 · OPS 9313 · OPS 9314 · OPS 9315 · OPS 9316 · OPS 9317 · GGTS | Kosmos 121 | OPS 1599 | PAGEOS 1 | Kosmos 122 | Explorer 33 | AS-203 | Proton 3 | Kosmos 123 | OPS 1850 | OV1-7 · OV1-8 | Kosmos 124 | GATV-5005 | Gemini X | Kosmos 125 | Kosmos 126 | OPS 3014 | OV3-3 | Kosmos 127 | OPS 1545 | Lunar Orbiter 1 | OPS 1832 · OPS 6810 | Pioneer 7 | OPS 2366 | FTV-1352 · Secor 7 · ERS-15 | Luna 11 | GGTS-2 | Kosmos 128 | GATV-5006 | Gemini XI | OPS 6026 | OPS 1686 · OPS 6874 | Zenit-2 No.40 | OPS 6026 | OPS 1686 · OPS 6874 | OGCh No.05L | Surveyor 2 | OPS 1703 | Ōsumi 1 | OPS 4096 | ESSA-3 | FTV-1583 · Secor 8 | OPS 2055 · OPS 5345 | Kosmos 129 | Molniya 1-04 | Kosmos 130 | Luna 12 | Surveyor SM-3 | Intelsat II F-1 | OV3-2 | OGCh No.06L | OPS 2070 · OPS 5424 | OPS 0855 · OV4-1R · OV4-1T · OV1-6 | Lunar Orbiter 2 | OPS 1866 | GATV-5001A | Gemini XII | Kosmos 131 | Strela-2 No.1 | Kosmos 132 | Kosmos 133 | Kosmos 134 | OPS 1890 | ATS-1 | OV1-9 · OV1-10 | Kosmos 135 | Soyuz 7K-OK No.1 | OPS 8968 | Biosat 1 | Kosmos 136 | Ōsumi 2 | Kosmos 137 | Luna 13 | OPS 1584Payloads are separated by bullets ( · ), launches by pipes ( | ). Manned flights are indicated in bold text. Uncatalogued launch failures are listed in italics. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are denoted in brackets. Categories:- Artificial satellites orbiting Earth
- United States spacecraft stubs
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