Orbital Sciences CorporationPegasus XLCape Canaveral, Air launch to orbit
Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX)
Launched
April 28, 2003 · 11:59 UTC
Image: NASA/Laurie Losey
Summary
GALEX launched on an Orbital Sciences Corporation Pegasus XL from Cape Canaveral, Air launch to orbit on April 28, 2003 at 11:59 UTC. It was Orbital Sciences Corporation's 41st launch, 2nd this year and humanity's 4,593rd orbital launch attempt. It was the 18th Pegasus XL flight and the 2nd this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). GALEX, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 698 × 704 km orbit inclined 29.0°. 2 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Pegasus XL · Orbital Sciences Corporation
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Astrophysics · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 18th Pegasus XL flight · 2nd this yearOrbital Sciences Corporation's 41st launch2nd this yearhumanity's 4,593rd orbital launch attempt17th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
GALEX · NORAD 27783 · 2003-017 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 2 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- GALEX
- Object ID
- 2003-017A
- Epoch
- 2003-04-28 13:14:08 UTC
- Mean motion
- 14.59782868 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0004013
- Inclination
- 29.0053°
- Ascending node
- 214.2418°
- Arg. of perigee
- 14.858°
- Mean anomaly
- 345.2252°
- 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
2 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage; 2 still in orbit
- GALEX · NORAD 27783 · in orbit
Pegasus F33 Stage 3 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
The Galaxy Evolution Explorer was a NASA ultraviolet space telescope that surveyed galaxies across the sky to study star formation history over most of cosmic time.
Pad
Cape Canaveral, Air launch to orbit
5th launch from Cape Canaveral, 2nd this year · 32nd from Air launch to orbit
7 launches from this pad · 52 from Air launch to orbit
92 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did GALEX launch?
GALEX launched on April 28, 2003 at 11:59 UTC.
Where can I watch GALEX?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched GALEX?
Pegasus XL, flown by Orbital Sciences Corporation. Pegasus XL spec sheet
Where did GALEX launch from?
Cape Canaveral, Air launch to orbit.
What orbit did GALEX reach?
GALEX, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 698 × 704 km orbit inclined 29.0°.
How many satellites did GALEX launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).