Orbital Sciences CorporationPegasusEdwards Air Force Base, Air launch to orbit
APEX
Launched
August 3, 1994
Image: NASA
Summary
APEX launched on an Orbital Sciences Corporation Pegasus from Edwards Air Force Base, Air launch to orbit on August 3, 1994. It was Orbital Sciences Corporation's 8th launch, 4th this year and humanity's 3,917th orbital launch attempt. It was the 4th Pegasus flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for Elliptical Orbit (Elliptical). APEX, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 387 × 2,559 km orbit inclined 69.9°. 2 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Pegasus · Orbital Sciences Corporation
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Planetary Science · Elliptical Orbit (Elliptical)
- Milestone
- 4th Pegasus flight · 1st this yearOrbital Sciences Corporation's 8th launch4th this yearhumanity's 3,917th orbital launch attempt49th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
APEX · NORAD 23191 · 1994-046 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 2 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- APEX
- Object ID
- 1994-046A
- Epoch
- 1994-08-03 15:51:17 UTC
- Mean motion
- 12.49654714 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.1384477
- Inclination
- 69.9273°
- Ascending node
- 244.4371°
- Arg. of perigee
- 156.8876°
- Mean anomaly
- 210.1098°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 2
- B*
- 0.00001
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: Elliptical. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
2 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage; 1 still in orbit
- APEX · NORAD 23191 · re-entered May 22, 2024
Pegasus F07 Stage 3 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
APEX (Advanced Photovoltaic & Electronic Experiment) successfully tested a wide array of advanced photovoltaic and electronic components in a harsh radiation environment, provided significant data to support improved designs for future space systems. During operation, APEX's highly elliptical orbit allowed the investigation of space plasma effects on high-voltage operation (current leakage at positive voltages and arcing at negative voltages) in the perigee region, plus the investigation of space radiation effects (decreased array power output from passage through the inner radiation belt) in the apogee region.
Pad
Edwards Air Force Base, Air launch to orbit
5th launch from Edwards Air Force Base, 2nd this year · 7th from Air launch to orbit
5 launches from this pad · 52 from Air launch to orbit
75 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did APEX launch?
APEX launched on August 3, 1994. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch APEX?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched APEX?
Pegasus, flown by Orbital Sciences Corporation. Pegasus spec sheet
Where did APEX launch from?
Edwards Air Force Base, Air launch to orbit.
What orbit did APEX reach?
APEX, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 387 × 2,559 km orbit inclined 69.9°.
How many satellites did APEX launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, no longer in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).