Aug 25 1977
From The Space Library
NASA launched Italy's first experimental domestic comsat SIRIO from ETR at 7:50pm EDT on a Delta into a transfer orbit with 37 670km apogee, 229.7km perigee, and 23' inclination. At 10:57am EDT on Aug. 27, its apogee boost motor fired it into a near-circular orbit where it would drift by Sept. 8 to a station on the equator above the west coast of Africa at about 15°W. NASA would transfer operation to the Telespazio VHF/SHF control center at Fucino, Italy, about 45 days after launch. Italy's National Research Council (CNR) would reimburse NASA for the cost of the launch vehicle and support services, estimated at $15.7 million, as agreed in March 1975.
The Satellite Italiano Richerche Industriale Orientata (industrial research-oriented Italian satellite), 2m (6.5ft) high and 1.4m (4.6ft) in diameter, weighing 398kg (8781b) at liftoff, would transmit TV and voice data at superhigh frequencies (SHF) from Europe to North America in adverse weather conditions. The project had begun in 1969 as part of an ELDO program, specifically to carry out a communications experiment in the 12 and 18GHz bands proposed by Prof. Francesco Carassa of Milan Polytechnic Inst. The idea of using higher frequency ranges (30 to 60GHz) because of overcrowding on conventional frequencies had offered the advantages of greatly increased traffic in communications, 'less interference with present ground and satellite communications, and the use of small ground terminals. The Compagnia Industriale Aerospaziale (CIA) had designed and developed the spacecraft and was responsible for system management and orbit operations.
Defense/Space Daily said the original Aug. 17 launch date had slipped because of possible interference between the SIRIO antenna and the third-stage system that might hinder separation. The NY Times said that "adverse wind conditions" Aug. 16 that delayed a test launch of the Navy's Trident missile had automatically postponed the SIRIO launch. Av Wk said that the SIRIO launch was important to Italy not only technically but also politically: it said NASA officials believed major changes would have occurred in the Italian government if the spacecraft had failed. (NASA Release 77-152; KSC Release 140-77; MOR 492-209-77-01 [prelaunch] Aug 9/77, [postlaunch] Nov 9/77; D/SD, Aug 22/77, 275; NYT, Aug 17/77, A-11; Av Wk, Sept 5/77, 23)
NASA announced that a third group of 20 astronaut applicants, all in the mission specialist category, would report to JSC Aug. 29 for a week of individual interviews and physical examinations. Eight of this group were women; all 20 had Ph.D. or medical degrees, or both, and one had a degree in veterinary medicine. (NASA Release 77-176)
MSFC announced plans for a 3-day meeting beginning Aug. 31 for the 59 investigators selected earlier this mo [see Aug. 16] to collaborate on 11 experiments for the second Spacelab mission. Dr. Eugene W. Urban of MSFC's space sciences laboratory, mission scientist for Spacelab 2, would chair the meeting of the Investigators Working Group to brief the participants on engineering and management requirements. (MSFC Release 77-155)
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