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National Aeronautics andSpace AdministratonWashington. D C 20546AC 202 755-8370 mi-win&>

For Release IMMEDIATE

Press Kit Project (Satcom III-R)RELEASE NO: 81-172

Contents

GENERAL RELEASE ............................................

RCA-D DESCRIPTION .......................................... 4

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER OPERATIONS ............................ 4

NASA/RCA-D TEAM ........................................... 6

CONTRACTORS ................................................ 7

October 29, 1981

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NA\SA NewsNational Aeronautics andSpace AdministrationWashilngton D C 20546AC202 755-8370

Ken For ReleaseHeadquarters, Washington, D.C. IMMEDIATE(Phone: 202/755-8331)James S. LacyGoddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.(Phone: 301/344-5565)

RELEASE NO: 81-172

NASA TO LAUNCH RCA-D (SATCOM III-R)

NASA will launch the RCA-D communications spacecraft on aDelta 3910 launch vehicle from Launch Complex 17A, Eastern Spaceand M.issile Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., noearlier than Nov. 19 at 8:30 p.m.

Once in orbit, it will be called RCA-Satcom III-R whose mis-sion will be the distribution of video programming to CATV (cabletelevision) systems throughout the United States.

Satcom III-R will join two other RCA satellites, Satcoms Tand II, in orbit since 1975 and 1976. The satellites providecoverage for all 50 states and Puerto Rico with television, voicechannels and high speed data transmission. Currently, there aremore than 4,000 Earth stations with direct access to thesespacecraft.

NASA's Delta 3910 launch vehicle consists of a 2.4-meter (8-foot) first stage powered by a Rocketdyne RS-27 liquid-fueled en-gine; nine Thiokol Castor IV strap-on solid motors; a 1.5-m (5-ft.) diameter second stage powered by a TRW TR-201 liquid fueledengine; and a 2.4-m (8-ft.) diameter fairing.

October 29, 1981

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McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Corp., Huntington Beach,Calif., is the prime contractor for production and launch of theDelta launch vehicle. The company developed and made availablecommercially the Payload Assist Module (PAM-D) which takes theplace of Delta's third stage and is considered part of the pay-load. A Thiokol Star 48 solid fuel motor is the propulsion sys-tem for PAM-D. The apogee kick motor, mounted inside the space-craft itself, is a Thiokol Star 30 motor.

RCA Americom, Princeton, N.J., is responsible for the manage-ment of the RCA Satcom Program including acquisition of the space-craft, associated tracking, telemetry, command systems and launchvehicle support. Spacecraft development and production are the re-sponsibility of RCA's Astro Electronics Division, Princeton. TheDelta Project Office at the Goddard Space Flight Center, Green-belt, Md., is responsible to NASA's Office of Space Transporta-tion Operations for overall project management of the launchvehicle. The Cargo Operations Office at NASA's John F. KennedySpace Center, Fla., is responsible to Goddard for launch opera-tions management. All launch costs incurred by NASA, includingthe vehicle hardware and launch services, are reimbursed by RCAAmericom. The Payload Assist Module is procured by RCA directlyfrom the manufacturer, McDonnell Douglas Corp.

The RCA-D and future RCA spacecraft are designed for launchby the Space Shuttle or the Delta 3910/PAM-D launch vehicle. Thesatellies total transfer orbit weight, including the Star 30 apo-gee motor, is 1,082 kilograms (2,385 pounds) as compared to 907kg (2,000 lb.) for the earlier Satcom I/II satellites.

RCA Earth stations are located near New York City, San Fran-cisco and Los Angeles, and at Anchorage, Juneau, Nome, Bethel,Valdez and Prudhoe Bay in Alaska.

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About 25 minutes after launch, the spacecraft will be in-jected into an elliptical transfer orbit with apogee near syn-chronous -- 35,900 kilometers (22,300 miles) -- altitude by thePAM stage. During the transfer orbit, the Intelsat stations atFucino, Italy, and Carnarvon, Australia, augment tracking, tele-metry and command operations to provide improved global cover-age. On the seventh apogee, the Star 30 apogee kick motor willbe fired to produce a near-synchronous orbit. Positioning of thespacecraft at 132 degrees west longitude above the equator willfollow using the satellite's on-board attitude-positioning gassystem.

Nominal orbit characteristics are:Transfer Orbit Satcom-D

Apogee Altitude 35,900 km (22,300 mi.)Perigee Altitude 187 km (116.2 mi.)

Inclination 27.4 degrees

Argument of Perigee 178.0 degrees

Location at Injection:Latitude 2.24 degreesLongitude 15.46 degrees (W)

Operational Orbit

Station Longitude 132.0 degrees (W)

(END OF GENERAL RELEASE; BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOLLOWS.)

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RCA-D) DE.SCRIPTIONThe RCA Domestic Communications Satell i te (RCA Satcom III-R)s a 2 4 -channel spacecraft to provide commercial communicationso Alaska, Hawaii and the Contiguous 48 states. RCA Satcom III-Rill distribute programming to the nation's cable televisionystems.The spacecraft will be placed into a 35,900 km (22,300 mi.)eosynchroioOUs orbit by a Delta 3910 launch vehicle and PAM-D.ith solar panels deployed, the satellite spans 11.2 m (37 ft.).he spacecraft main body measures 1.6 by 1.27 by 1.29 m (64 by 50y 51 in.).The Three-axis stabilized spacecraft is equipped with theower, at t i t ude control, thermal control, propulsion, structurend command, ranging and telemnetry necessary to support missionperations from booster separation through 10 years in geosyn-hronous orbit.Spacecraft life, with continuous full power, is designed toe 10 years.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER OPERATIONSRCA-D will be launched aboard Delta 1.58 from Pad A of NASA'somplex 17, Eastern Space and Missile Center, FLa.The first stage of the launch vehicle and its interstagedapter were erected on Pad A Sept. 29. The nine solid strap-on>stor TV rocket motors were attached on Sept. 30 , Oct. 1, 2 and, and the second stage was mated with the first on Oct. 6.The satellite arrived Oct. 19 and was checked out in HangarF. On Oct. 29 it was moved to the Delta Spin Test Facility forueling and mating to the Payload Assist Module, which replaceshe Delta third stage. It is scheduled to be mated to the launchehicle Nov. 11, and the payload fairing, which protects thepacecraft while it is in the atmosphere of Earth, is to be in-talled Nov. 16.

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NASA/RCA-D TEAM

NASA Headquarters

Dr. Stanley I. Weiss Associate Pdministrator forSpace Transportation OperationsJoseph B. Mahon Director, Expendable Launch

Vehicle ProgramPeter Eaton Manager, DeltaRobert E. Smylie Associate Administrator for

Space Tracking and Data Systems

Goddard Space Flight CenterA. Thomas Young DirectorJohn iH.McElroy Deputy DirectorWilliam C. Keathley Director, Project ManagementDavid W. Grimes Delta Project ManagerWilliam R. Russell Deputy Delta Project Manager,

TechnicalJohn D. Kraft Manager, Delta Mission

Analysis and IntegrationRichard H. Sclafford RCA Satcom-D Mission

Integration ManagerRichard S. King Mission Operations and Network

Support ManagerRay Mazur Mission Support

Kennedy Space CenterRichard G. Smith DirectorThomas S. Walton Director, Cargo OperationsCharles D. Gay Director, Expendable Vehicles

OperationsD. C. Sheppard Chief, Automated PayloadsDivision

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Kennedy Space Center (cont'd.)Wayne L. McCall Chief, Delta OperationsDivisionDavid C. Bragdon Spacecraft CoordinatorRCA American Communications, Inc.Andrew Inglis PresidentJohn Christopher Vice President of TechnicalOperationsPeter Plush Manager, Major Programs andTechnical Operations ServicesJoseph Schwarze Manager, Space SystemsWilliam Palme Manager, Major Programs,Launch Vehicle IntegrationJoseph Elko Manager, Spacecraft Engineering

CONTRACTORSRCA Americom Spacecraft managementRCA Astro Electronics Division development/productionPrinceton, N.J.McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Delta Launch Vehicle and PAM-Dompany payload stageHuntington Beach, Calif.Rocketdyne Division First stage engine (RS-27)Rockwell InternationalCanoga Park, Calif.Thiokol Corp. Castor IV strap-on solid fueluntsville, Ala. motorsTRW TR-201 second stage engineRedondo Beach, Calif.Major SubcontractorsSPAR Aerospace Division Antenna Input and OutputSte-Anne-de-Bellevue,Quebec, CanadaCharles Stark Draper Labs Momentum Wheel AssemblyCambridge, Mass.

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Subcontractors (cont'd.)Lockheed Space Systems Earth Sensor Assembly andDivision Horizon Sensor AssemblySunnyvale, Calif.Thiokol Corp. Apogee Kick Motor (Star 30)Elkton, Md. in spacecraft and Perigee KickMotor (Star 48) in PAM-DHughes Aircraft Co. Traveling Wave TubeElectro Dynamics Division AmplifiersTorrance, Calif.Rocket Research Reaction Engine AssemblyRedmond, Wash.Cubic Corp. Beacon Transmitter andDefense Systems Division Command ReceiverSan Diego, Calif.Parsons of California Structure and Solar PanelsStockton, Calif.Adcole Corp. Sun Sensor AssemblyWaltham, Mass.Northrop Corp. Rate Measuring AssemblyNorwood, Mass.

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(Index: 9, 21, 29)