United States Air ForceDelta 2310Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Solar Mesosphere Explorer
Launched
October 6, 1981
Image: NASA
Summary
Solar Mesosphere Explorer launched on an United States Air Force Delta 2310 from Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on October 6, 1981. It was United States Air Force's 776th launch, 12th this year and humanity's 2,493rd orbital launch attempt. It was the 3rd Delta 2310 flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Solar Mesosphere Explorer, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 534 × 563 km orbit inclined 97.4°. 4 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Delta 2310 · United States Air Force
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Earth Science · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 3rd Delta 2310 flight · 1st this yearUnited States Air Force's 776th launch12th this yearhumanity's 2,493rd orbital launch attempt102nd orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Solar Mesosphere Explorer · NORAD 12887 · 1981-100 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 4 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- SME
- Object ID
- 1981-100A
- Epoch
- 1981-10-06 12:26:12 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.08327201 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0021039
- Inclination
- 97.4215°
- Ascending node
- 241.9417°
- Arg. of perigee
- 136.7336°
- Mean anomaly
- 223.555°
- 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: LEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
4 catalogued: 2 payloads, 1 rocket stage, 1 component; 1 still in orbit
- Solar Mesosphere Explorer · NORAD 12887 · re-entered March 5, 1991
- UoSAT-OSCAR-9 · NORAD 12888 · re-entered October 13, 1989
Delta 157 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Scientific satellite dedicated to research related to the Earth's ozone layer
Pad
Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
42nd launch from Space Launch Complex 2W, 2nd this year · 491st from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
99 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
64 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did Solar Mesosphere Explorer launch?
Solar Mesosphere Explorer launched on October 6, 1981. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Solar Mesosphere Explorer?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Solar Mesosphere Explorer?
Delta 2310, flown by United States Air Force. Delta 2310 spec sheet
Where did Solar Mesosphere Explorer launch from?
Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA.
What orbit did Solar Mesosphere Explorer reach?
Solar Mesosphere Explorer, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 534 × 563 km orbit inclined 97.4°.
How many satellites did Solar Mesosphere Explorer launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, none of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).