United Launch AllianceDelta II 7320Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
SAC-D
Launched
June 10, 2011 · 14:20 UTC
Image: NASA/Bill Ingalls
Summary
SAC-D (Aquarius) launched on an United Launch Alliance Delta II 7320 from Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on June 10, 2011 at 14:20 UTC. It was United Launch Alliance's 52nd launch, 6th this year and humanity's 5,131st orbital launch attempt. It was the 6th Delta II 7320 flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). SAC-D/Aquarius, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 657 × 661 km orbit inclined 98.0°. 2 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- Vehicle
- Delta II 7320 · United Launch Alliance
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Earth Science · Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO)
- Milestone
- 6th Delta II 7320 flight · 1st this yearUnited Launch Alliance's 52nd launch6th this yearhumanity's 5,131st orbital launch attempt25th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
SAC-D/Aquarius · NORAD 37673 · 2011-024 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 2 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2011-024A
- Epoch
- 2011-06-10 15:20:41 UTC
- Mean motion
- 14.72830191 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0002456
- Inclination
- 98.0125°
- Ascending node
- 168.6228°
- Arg. of perigee
- 212.6674°
- Mean anomaly
- 147.5382°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: SSO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
2 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage; 1 still in orbit
- SAC-D/Aquarius · NORAD 37673 · in orbit
Delta 354 · re-entered July 30, 2011
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
SAC-D was an Argentine CONAE Earth observation satellite carrying NASA's Aquarius instrument, which mapped global sea-surface salinity from a sun-synchronous orbit, along with Argentine, Italian, French and Canadian instruments.
Pad
Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
87th launch from Space Launch Complex 2W, 1st this year · 649th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Local pad time at liftoff: Jun 10, 7:20 AM PDT, in daylight
99 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
216 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did SAC-D (Aquarius) launch?
SAC-D (Aquarius) launched on June 10, 2011 at 14:20 UTC.
Where can I watch SAC-D (Aquarius)?
Coverage: Aquarius/SAC-D Observatory Launch. Watch the replay
What rocket launched SAC-D (Aquarius)?
Delta II 7320, flown by United Launch Alliance. Delta II 7320 spec sheet
Where did SAC-D (Aquarius) launch from?
Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. Liftoff was Jun 10, 7:20 AM PDT local time at the pad.
What orbit did SAC-D (Aquarius) reach?
SAC-D/Aquarius, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 657 × 661 km orbit inclined 98.0°.
How many satellites did SAC-D (Aquarius) launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).