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Lockheed Martin Athena I Launch Vehicle Successfully Completes First Launch From Alaska's Kodiak Launch Complex

Athena I Deploys Four Individual Satellites for NASA and Department of Defense Space Test Program

KODIAK LAUNCH COMPLEX, AK, September 28th, 2001 -- An Athena I launch vehicle roared into space from the Kodiak Launch Complex this evening carrying four individual satellites to two different Earth orbits for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Department of Defense Space Test program. It was the first orbital launch from the Kodiak Island site and the first time Athena had launched from the site. The launch vehicle lifted off at 6:40 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time (10:40 p.m. EDT) and headed south over the Pacific Ocean tracked by radar from Cordova, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The first satellite to be deployed was PICOSat at 63 minutes after launch followed by Sapphire and PCSat seven minutes later. After the second target orbit injection, Starshine 3 was successfully deployed 129 minutes after liftoff.

"Lockheed Martin is proud of the Athena launch team's success in inaugurating orbital launch capability at the Kodiak Launch Complex," said G. Thomas Marsh, president, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company-Astronautics Operations. "The four spacecraft launched aboard Athena will perform important research and educational missions in the coming years for students of all ages."

The Athena I launch vehicle is capable of boosting payloads of up to 1,750 lbs. It was designed to use proven concepts, systems and hardware. The first stage is a Castor 120â solid rocket motor built by ATK Thiokol Propulsion Company of Promontory, Utah. The second stage is an Orbusâ 21D motor built by Pratt & Whitney Space Propulsion of San Jose, Calif. General Dynamics Space Propulsion Systems of Redmond, Wash., built the orbit adjust module (OAM), which houses the attitude control system and avionics systems. The OAM provided the "burns" needed to deploy the four satellites in today's mission.

Today's Athena launch was the sixth operational launch for the vehicle, including Athena I and II. Previous successful launches include NASA's Lewis on an Athena I Aug. 22, 1997; Lunar Prospector on an Athena II Jan. 6, 1998; ROCSAT-1 on an Athena I Jan. 26, 1999; and IKONOS 2 on an Athena II Sept. 24, 1999.

Starshine 3 consists of more than 1,500 hand-polished mirrors, 31 retro-reflectors and seven clusters of solar cells powering an amateur radio transmitter. It was built by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. assisted by thousands of school children from around the world who polished the aluminum mirrors. The Starshine program encourages participation from students in kindergarten through high school in tracking the satellite's orbital decay. This will be the first time that students from Alaska can participate in the project due to the higher orbital inclination of the mission.

Sapphire, PICOSat and PCSat are sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD) Space Test program. Sapphire combines education, amateur radio outreach and technology demonstration. It was built by students at Stanford University, prepared for launch by faculty and students at Washington University in St. Louis, and operated once in space by the U.S. Naval Academy.

PICOSat is a microsatellite built by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. in Guildford, United Kingdom. It will fly and operate four DoD scientific payloads in support of weather data. PCSat is the first satellite designed and built by midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy. Its primary mission is to provide senior midshipmen with satellite design experience. Functionally, it will serve as a positioning and message communications satellite for remote travelers.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, headquartered in Denver, Colo., is one of the major operating units of Lockheed Martin Corporation. Space Systems designs, develops, tests, manufactures and operates a variety of advanced technology systems for military, civil and commercial customers. Chief products include a full-range of space launch systems, including heavy-lift capability, ground systems, remote sensing and communications satellites for commercial and government customers, advanced space observatories and interplanetary spacecraft, fleet ballistic missiles and missile defense systems.

Julie Andrews, Lockheed Martin
Phone: (321)853-1567; Pager: (800)722-7717
Email: julie.c.andrews@lmco.com

Evan McCollum, Lockheed Martin
Phone:303)977-5937; Pager:(800)621-8063
Email: evan.d.mccollum@lmco.com