United States Air ForceAtlas SLV-3C CentaurLaunch Complex 36B, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Copernicus
Launched
August 21, 1972
Image: US Air Force
Summary
Copernicus launched on an United States Air Force Atlas SLV-3C Centaur from Launch Complex 36B, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA on August 21, 1972. It was United States Air Force's 580th launch, 16th this year and humanity's 1,377th orbital launch attempt. It was the 17th Atlas SLV-3C Centaur flight and the 4th this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Copernicus, one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 802 × 804 km orbit inclined 34.9°. 3 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Atlas SLV-3C Centaur · United States Air Force
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Astrophysics · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 17th Atlas SLV-3C Centaur flight · 4th this yearUnited States Air Force's 580th launch16th this yearhumanity's 1,377th orbital launch attempt71st orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Copernicus · NORAD 6153 · 1972-065 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 3 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- OAO 3 (COPERNICUS)
- Object ID
- 1972-065A
- Epoch
- 1972-08-21 11:57:23 UTC
- Mean motion
- 14.28640447 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.000139
- Inclination
- 34.8771°
- Ascending node
- 353.5552°
- Arg. of perigee
- 350.0888°
- Mean anomaly
- 9.9738°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 1
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
3 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage, 1 component; 2 still in orbit
- Copernicus · NORAD 6153 · in orbit
Centaur D AC-22 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Third Orbiting Astronomical Observatory satellite, equipped with an UV telescope and three X-ray telescopes.
Pad
Launch Complex 36B, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
13th launch from Launch Complex 36B, 3rd this year · 267th from Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
76 launches from this pad · 1,131 from Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
68 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did Copernicus launch?
Copernicus launched on August 21, 1972. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Copernicus?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Copernicus?
Atlas SLV-3C Centaur, flown by United States Air Force. Atlas SLV-3C Centaur spec sheet
Where did Copernicus launch from?
Launch Complex 36B, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA.
What orbit did Copernicus reach?
Copernicus, one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 802 × 804 km orbit inclined 34.9°.
How many satellites did Copernicus launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).