STEP 4 (P95-1) (original) (raw)
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STEP 4 [TRW]
STEP 4 (Space Test Experimental Program 4) was a technology demonstration satellite flown under the Space Test Program (STP).
It hosted three DoD payloads:
- Digital Ion Drift Meter (DIDM) to study ion drift,
- Electromagnetic Propagation Experiment (EMPE) to aid study radio propagation through the ionosphere, and
- Orbiting Ozone and Aerosol Measurement (OOAM) to study ozone and water vapour in the middle atmosphere.
After reaching orbit, the solar panels failed to deploy properly, and there has been little or no uplink or downlink contact with the spacecraft. The mission was declared a failure soon after launch.
| Nation: | USA |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | Experimental |
| Operator: | US Air Force (USAF) STP (Space Test Program) |
| Contractors: | TRW, CTA → Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) (Bus) |
| Equipment: | DIDM, EMPE, OOAM |
| Configuration: | LEOStar |
| Propulsion: | ? |
| Power: | 4 deployable fixed solar arrays, batteries |
| Lifetime: | |
| Mass: | 403 kg |
| Orbit: | 430 km × 500 km, 45� |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEP 4 (P95-1) | 1997-063A | 22.10.1997 | WI, L-1011, RW04/22 | Pegasus-XL |