Atlas SLV-3C Centaur
SuccessATS 5 · United States Air Force
Launch time (NET)
Tuesday, Aug 12, 1969, 11:01 UTC
Launch window
Tuesday, Aug 12, 1969, 11:01 UTC – Tuesday, Aug 12, 1969, 11:01 UTC
Provider
United States Air Force
Rocket
Launch pad
Launch Complex 36A, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA · Open map
Status
Success
The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).
Mission
ATS 5
Type
Earth Science
Orbit
Geosynchronous Orbit (GSO)
ATS-5, the last spacecraft in the Hughes/NASA ATS program, was launched August 12, 1969, in a near-perfect trajectory for insertion into synchronous orbit. Although injected successfully into orbit, the spacecraft's reverse spin (counterclockwise) prevented successful deployment of the 124 foot gravity gradient booms for the stabilization experiment. However nine of the other 13 experiments aboard the spacecraft returned useful data.
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