Encyclopedia entry

DMSP Block 5D-3

Spacecraft · USA

Part of TIROS N

Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.

American earth weather satellite.merican earth weather satellite. Military spacecraft similar in design to the civilian NOAA weather satellites. Meteorology satellite built by Lockheed Martin for US Air Force, USA. Launched 1999 - 2014. Used the TIROS-N Bus bus.

The main instrument was the Operational Linescan System (OLS) weather imager. The satellite also carried the SSMIS (microwave imager and sounder), SSULI ultraviolet limb imager, SSUSI ultraviolet spectrographic imager and nadir airglow-photometer, SSI/ES-3 thermal plasma instrument, the SSJ/5 precipitating particle spectrometer, and the SSF laser threat warning sensor.

More at: DMSP Block 5D-3.

Family: Earth, Earth weathersat, Sun synchronous orbit
Country: USA
Engines: Star 37XFP
Launch Vehicles: Titan, Titan II, Titan II SLV, Atlas V, Atlas V 401, Delta IV, Delta 4M
Projects: DMSP
Launch Sites: Vandenberg, Vandenberg SLC3E, Vandenberg SLC4W, Vandenberg SLC6
Agency: USAF, Aerospace
Bibliography: 2, 552, 554, 12237

Photo Gallery

DMSP-Block-5D3-F17
Credit: Manufacturer Image

Chronology

5 events

1999 December 12

17:38 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC4W. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan II SLV.

USA 147 - . Payload: DMSP 5D-3 F-15. Mass: 1,154 kg (2,544 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Manufacturer: RCA. Class: Earth. Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft Bus: TIROS N. Spacecraft: DMSP Block 5D-3. USAF Sat Cat: 25991 . COSPAR: 1999-067A. Apogee: 846 km (525 mi). Perigee: 830 km (510 mi). Inclination: 98.50 deg. Period: 101.70 min. First launch of the Block 5D-3 military weather satellite. Satellite F-15 was placed in an initial suborbital trajectory. The Star 37S kick motor on the satellite fired 13 minutes after launch for orbit insertion..

2003 October 18

16:17 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC4W. LV Family: Titan. Launch Vehicle: Titan II SLV.

USA 172 - . Payload: DMSP-16. Mass: 1,154 kg (2,544 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Class: Earth. Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft Bus: TIROS N. Spacecraft: DMSP Block 5D-3. USAF Sat Cat: 28054 . COSPAR: 2003-048A. Apogee: 853 km (530 mi). Perigee: 843 km (523 mi). Inclination: 98.90 deg. Period: 101.90 min. Final Titan 2 launch, LV dubbed "Cindy Marie". Originally to have launched January 2001. Launch postponed 12 times due to spacecraft and launch vehicle problems..

2006 November 4

13:53 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC6. LV Family: Delta IV. Launch Vehicle: Delta 4M.

DMSP-Block-5D3-F17 - . Mass: 1,154 kg (2,544 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Program: DMSP. Class: Earth. Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft Bus: TIROS N. Spacecraft: DMSP Block 5D-3. USAF Sat Cat: 29522 . COSPAR: 2006-050A. Apogee: 855 km (531 mi). Perigee: 841 km (522 mi). Inclination: 98.80 deg. Period: 101.90 min.
Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellite with the Operational Linescan System camera, a microwave imager-sounder, ultraviolet spectrometers, particle detectors, a magnetometer, and a laser threat warning sensor. Reportedly went for a time into safe mode due to software problems after launch. The booster upper stage was conducted a maneuver to deorbit itself after placing the satellite in orbit. After the burn an explosion evidently occurred aboard the stage - dozens of objects were tracked in various orbits with perigees down to 670 km and apogees up to 851 km.

2009 October 18

16:12 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC3E. LV Family: Atlas V. Launch Vehicle: Atlas V 401.

USA 210 - . Payload: DMSP 5D F-18. Mass: 1,200 kg (2,600 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: Martin. Class: Earth. Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft Bus: TIROS N. Spacecraft: DMSP Block 5D-3. USAF Sat Cat: 35951 . COSPAR: 2009-057A. Apogee: 858 km (533 mi). Perigee: 843 km (523 mi). Inclination: 98.90 deg. Period: 101.90 min. Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. After release of the weather satellite the Centaur AV-017 upper stage was tested, having enough propellant left over to escape the earth's gravity and enter solar orbit..

2014 April 3

14:46 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC3E. LV Family: Atlas V. Launch Vehicle: Atlas V 401.

USA 249 - . Payload: DMSP 5D-3 F19. Mass: 1,200 kg (2,600 lb). Nation: USA. Class: Earth. Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft Bus: TIROS N. Spacecraft: DMSP Block 5D-3. USAF Sat Cat: 39630 . COSPAR: 2014-015A. Apogee: 853 km (530 mi). Perigee: 839 km (521 mi). Inclination: 98.77 deg. Period: 101.85 min.
Penultimate US Air Force Defense Meteorological Satellite Program payload in orbit. The DMSP Block 5D-3 S-19 spacecraft was built by RCA/East Windsor, New Jersey and transferred to Lockheed Martin/Sunnyvale after closure of the former facility. The AV-044 Centaur stage reignited to go into heliocentric orbit, like that for the previous DMSP launch. The DMSP satellite's solar array did not completely deploy, but the satellite was expected to enter service nonetheless.