The third Landsat satellite is to be launched on March 5, 1978, from Space and Missile Test Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The mission of Landsat-C is to further remote sensing research and development by the continued acquisition of synoptic multispectral repetitive images of the Earth for investigative work in disciplines such as agriculture and forestry resources, mineral and land resources, land use, water resources, marine resources, and cartography. The spacecraft, weighing about 900 kg, will be launched by a Thor Delta 2910 vehicle into a circular near-polar Sun synchronous orbit at 954 A.M., Pacific Standard Time. The launch is selected to achieve a descending mode equatorial crossing at about 9:30 A,M, local standard time and to ultimately trail the Landsat- orbital position by 180 degrees after orbital adjustment. This wil I per- mit Landsat-C to follow the orbital track of Landsat- by 9 days. The orbit will be circular at a 917 km altitude and a 99 degree inclination. Command and control of the spacecraft will be from the Landsat Operations Control Center located at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Landsat-1 payload operations have been terminated due to the impaired performance of the spacecraft and payload coupled with an uncorrectable orbit inclination degradation. The spacecraft has been placed into a mode where only health and safety are monitored. Landsat- payload operations will be temporarily suspended for 1 day, prior to, and 4 days after, the Landsat-C launch to prevent any conflicts with initial Landsat-C activation.


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    Title :

    Landsat-C Prelaunch Mission Operation Report


    Publication date :

    1978


    Size :

    36 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English