United States Air ForceDelta II 7920HSpace Launch Complex 17B, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Spitzer Space Telescope

Launched

August 25, 2003

Launch Successful

Image: NASA

Summary

Spitzer Space Telescope launched on an United States Air Force Delta II 7920H from Space Launch Complex 17B, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA on August 25, 2003. It was United States Air Force's 1,053rd launch, 9th this year and humanity's 4,614th orbital launch attempt. It was the 1st Delta II 7920H flight. The payload was bound for Heliocentric N/A (Helio-N/A). Spitzer Space Telescope, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 169 × 170 km orbit inclined 31.5°. 2 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.

Watch: No webcast on record.
Vehicle: Delta II 7920H · United States Air Force
Booster: No booster details on record.
Mission: Astrophysics · Heliocentric N/A (Helio-N/A)
Milestone: 1st Delta II 7920H flightUnited States Air Force's 1,053rd launch9th this yearhumanity's 4,614th orbital launch attempt38th orbital launch attempt this year

Flight preview

Orbit: as tracked

31.5°Inclination

169 × 170 kmPerigee × apogeefrom mean elements

87.7 minPeriodfrom mean elements

218.6°Ascending node

8453 d agoElement epoch2003-08-25 05:42 UTC · stale

Spitzer Space Telescope · NORAD 27871 · 2003-038 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 2 objects

Show the numbers

Object: SIRTF
Object ID: 2003-038A
Epoch: 2003-08-25 05:42:54 UTC
Mean motion: 16.41232779 rev/day
Eccentricity: 0.0000281
Inclination: 31.5001°
Ascending node: 218.6248°
Arg. of perigee: 291.7986°
Mean anomaly: 199.5315°
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: Helio-N/A. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.

Catalogued objects

2 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage

Spitzer Space Telescope · NORAD 27871 · left Earth orbit August 25, 2003

Delta 300 · left Earth orbit August 25, 2003

Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org

About this launch

The Spitzer Space Telescope was an infared space telescope with a planned mission period of 2.5 years - which actually stayed fully operational until 2009.

News

1 story

NASA · Sep 28October’s Night Sky Notes: Spooky StargazingThe Ghoul Located within the constellation Perseus lies a star called Algol, also known as ‘Demon Star’ or ‘The Ghoul’. You can spot this star during the autumn months, along with Cassiopeia and Andromeda in the northeastern sky, beginning after 9 PM. In Greek mythology, this star represents the ‘blinking eye’ of the gorgon Medusa. […]

Pad

Space Launch Complex 17B, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

120th launch from Space Launch Complex 17B, 3rd this year · 614th from Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

132 launches from this pad · 1,131 from Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

48 days after the previous launch from this pad

All launches from Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA Open in maps

Questions

When did Spitzer Space Telescope launch?

Spitzer Space Telescope launched on August 25, 2003. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.

Where can I watch Spitzer Space Telescope?

No webcast is on record for this launch.

What rocket launched Spitzer Space Telescope?

Delta II 7920H, flown by United States Air Force. Delta II 7920H spec sheet

Where did Spitzer Space Telescope launch from?

Space Launch Complex 17B, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA.

What orbit did Spitzer Space Telescope reach?

Spitzer Space Telescope, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 169 × 170 km orbit inclined 31.5°.

How many satellites did Spitzer Space Telescope launch?

1 payload from this launch is catalogued (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).