Lewis (satellite)

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Lewis
Mission typeTechnology
Remote sensing
UV Astronomy
OperatorNASA
COSPAR ID1997-044A
SATCAT no.24909Edit this on Wikidata
Mission duration1-3 years (planned)
3 days (achieved)
Spacecraft properties
Bus
ManufacturerTRW
Launch mass288 kilograms (635 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date23 August 1997, 06:51:01 (1997-08-23UTC06:51:01Z) UTC
RocketLMLV-1 (Athena I)
Launch siteVandenberg SLC-6
ContractorLockheed Martin
End of mission
Last contact26 August 1997 (1997-08-27)
Decay date28 September 1997
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude124 kilometers (77 mi)
Planned: 523 kilometres (325 mi)
Apogee altitude134 kilometers (83 mi)
Planned: 523 kilometres (325 mi)
Inclination97.5 degrees
Epoch23 August 1997, 02:51:01 UTC[1]
Instruments


 

Lewis was an American satellite which was to have been operated by NASA as part of the . It carried two experimental Earth imaging instruments, and an ultraviolet astronomy payload. Due to a design flaw it failed within three days of reaching orbit, before it became operational.

Lewis was a 288 kilograms (635 lb) spacecraft, which was designed to operate for between one and three years.[2] It was built by TRW under a contract which was signed on 11 July 1994.[2] Its primary instruments were the , the and the experiment.[3] A number of technology demonstration payloads were also flown.

Launch[]

Lewis was launched by a LMLV-1 (Athena I) rocket flying from Space Launch Complex 6 at the Vandenberg Air Force Base.[4] The launch was originally scheduled to take place in September 1996, but it was delayed due to technical problems affecting the rocket.[5] Launch finally occurred at 06:51:01 GMT on 23 August 1997, and Lewis was successfully placed into a parking orbit with an apogee of 134 kilometres (83 mi), a perigee of 124 kilometres (77 mi), and 97.5 degrees of inclination. Lewis was to have raised itself into a higher orbit, at an altitude of 523 kilometres (325 mi).[3]

Mission failure[]

On 26 August, the satellite began spinning out of control at a rate of 2 rpm, which led to a loss of communications with ground controllers, and affected the ability of its solar arrays to generate power.[6] Controllers were unable to regain contact with the spacecraft,[7] and it was declared a total loss. It reentered the atmosphere at 11:58 GMT on 28 September 1997.[8] The cause of the failure was later established to be a design flaw in the spacecraft's attitude control system, which had been designed for the TOMS-EP spacecraft and was not sufficiently modified to be compatible with Lewis.[9]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Trajectory Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Wade, Mark. "Lewis". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on June 18, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
  3. ^ a b Krebs, Gunter. "Lewis (SSTI-1)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
  4. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
  5. ^ "NASA loses contact with Lewis craft". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. August 28, 1997. p. 5A. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
  6. ^ Isbell, Douglas; Koris, Sally (August 26, 1997). "Lewis Spacecraft encounters difficulties". NASA/TRW. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
  7. ^ "Doomed satellite re-enters atmosphere". CNN. September 28, 1997. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
  8. ^ "Lewis spacecraft". ASTRONET. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
  9. ^ Isbell, Douglas (June 23, 1998). "Lewis spacecraft failure board report released". NASA. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
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