National Center of Space ResearchDiamant BP4Diamant Launch Area, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Castor & Pollux
Launched
May 17, 1975
Summary
Castor & Pollux launched on a National Center of Space Research Diamant BP4 from Diamant Launch Area, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana on May 17, 1975. It was National Center of Space Research's 13th launch, 2nd this year and humanity's 1,693rd orbital launch attempt. It was the 2nd Diamant BP4 flight. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Pollux, one of 7 catalogued objects, reached a 278 × 1,292 km orbit inclined 30.0°. 7 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Diamant BP4 · National Center of Space Research
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Earth Science · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 2nd Diamant BP4 flightNational Center of Space Research's 13th launch2nd this yearhumanity's 1,693rd orbital launch attempt42nd orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Pollux · NORAD 7801 · 1975-039 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 7 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 1975-039A
- Epoch
- 1975-05-18 04:56:48 UTC
- Mean motion
- 14.34083344 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0708308
- Inclination
- 29.9637°
- Ascending node
- 327.1979°
- Arg. of perigee
- 34.7107°
- Mean anomaly
- 329.7675°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 12
- B*
- 0.00040616
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO.
Catalogued objects
7 catalogued: 2 payloads, 1 rocket stage, 4 components; none still in orbit
- Pollux · NORAD 7801 · re-entered August 5, 1975
- Castor · NORAD 7802 · re-entered February 18, 1979
Diamant BP.4 No. 2 Stage 3 · re-entered August 7, 1976
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Dual French scientific satellites
Pad
Diamant Launch Area, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
7th launch from Diamant Launch Area, 2nd this year · 8th from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
8 launches from this pad · 336 from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
99 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Guiana Space Centre, French GuianaOpen in maps
Questions
When did Castor & Pollux launch?
Castor & Pollux launched on May 17, 1975. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Castor & Pollux?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Castor & Pollux?
Diamant BP4, flown by National Center of Space Research. Diamant BP4 spec sheet
Where did Castor & Pollux launch from?
Diamant Launch Area, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana.
What orbit did Castor & Pollux reach?
Pollux, one of 7 catalogued objects, reached a 278 × 1,292 km orbit inclined 30.0°.
How many satellites did Castor & Pollux launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, none of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).