Orbital parameters for INTEGRAL

[selden]

The current orbital parameters for the recently launched (17-Oct) INTEGRAL satellite are now available at http://www.lns.cornell.edu/~seb/celestia/integral.ssc

INTEGRAL stands for INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysical Laboratory. It has a highly inclined and eccentric orbit to keep it out of the Van Allen belts as much as possible. Since it weighs 4 tonnes, they couldn't put it in a high circular orbit, even though it was launched on a Proton booster.

Now if only I had a decent model for it. I put in ta pointer to the Hubble 3ds, but it looks nothing like that.

[Guest]

They should have used the Energia if the Proton couldnt hack it :p
Seriously, a Proton rated for about 20 tons couldnt put a 4tonne into high orbit, good old Energia rated 100+ Tonne mmm.
Cry for the sad state of the Russian space program

[selden]

The full name of the booster they used is now the "Lockheed Khrunichev Energia International (LKEI) Proton" See http://sci.esa.int/content/doc/fb/2299_.htm and http://lmms.external.lmco.com/photos/launch_vehicles/proton/proton.html

Although it has a relatively low perigee, apogee is well beyond geosynchronous orbit The orbital period is 72 hours. Geosynch is only 24 hours. They used the 4 stage version of the Proton, the one normally used to put heavier satellites into geosynchronous orbit. Apparently larger Energias were designed but never built. See http://home.attbi.com/~rusaerog/boosters/Energia.html

[Guest]

http://k26.com/buran/Info/A_Comparison/ ... hucomp.jpg
teehee, Energia = Big ass rocket
One of these things is not like the other ...

[Guest]

Oh and a nonreusable energia was used for the rusian spaceshuttle orbit test in '88

[selden]

A couple of other comparison pictures can be found at
http://faculty.erau.edu/ericksol/courses/sp215/ch5/propulsn_ch5.htm
The payload description there for the Proton seems a little misleading, since it only mentions LEO (presumably to make the Shuttle look good) and doesn't mention its 4 stage GEO payload.

Apparently only two of the SL17 model Energias were ever flown of the 5 that were under construction.

http://techreports.larc.nasa.gov/ltrs/PDF/NASA-91-sawe-iom.pdfhas a comparison of engine thrust. The SL17's RD170 was even more powerful than the Saturn's F1 -- more than 3x a Shuttle main engine.