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    NASA NewsNational Aeronautics an dSpace Adm inistrat ionWashington, DC 20546AC 20 2 755-8370

    For Release IMMEDIATE

    PressKitRELEASE NO: 77-152

    ContentsG EN ER AL R E L E A S E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 1-5S T R A IG H T - E IG H T D EL TA S T A T I S T I C S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 - 7L A U N C H O P E R A T I O N S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8M A J O R DELTA S I R 1 0 F L I G H T E V E N T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9C NR M A N A G E M E N T . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . 1 0D E L T A / S I R I O LAUNCH T E A M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11C O N T R A C T O R S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

    Mailed:J u l y 2 8 , 1 9 7 7

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    National Aeronautics an dSpace AdministrationWashington. D C 20546A C 202 755-8370

    David GarrettHeadquarters, Washington, D.C.(Phone: 202/755-3090)

    Fc lr ReleaseIMMEDIATE

    Joseph McRobertsGoddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.(Phone: 301/982-4955)

    RELEASE NO: 77-152

    NASA TO LAUNCH SIRIO COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE FOR ITALY

    The first Italian experimental communications satellite,SIRIO, is being readied f o r launch Aug. 17 from Launch Com-plex 17, Eastern Test Range (ETR) at NASA's Kennedy SpaceCenter, Fla., on a Delta launch vehicle. The launch windowis 7:40 to 9:00 p.m. EDT.

    The satellite will be placed in synchronous orbit overthe equator just south of the west coast of Africa at 15degrees W. longitude. From this position it will be able tocarry out various scientific experiments in the telecommuni-cations field.

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    The principal experiment is designed for study of thepropagation characteristics of radio waves transmitted atsuper high frequencies (SHF) during adverse weather condi-tions including rain, snow and fog.

    In addition to experimenting with various types oftechnical transmissions, the Italians will acquire expertisein advanced space technology while developing a low cost "bus"for future communications tests. A whole segment of Italianindustry interested in space technology worked on the space-craft and is expected to use the acquired experience infuture international space programs. The name SIRIO, whichis Italian for SIRIUS the dog star, is also an acronym forindustrial research oriented Italian satellite -- SatelliteItalian0 Ricerca Industriale Orientata.

    From its initial on-station position, SIRIO will trans-mit voice, data and television in the SHF range from Europeto North America. The use of the SHF frequencies is becomingnecessary due to overcrowding of conventional frequency bands.

    SIRIO is 1.4 meters (4.6 feet) in diameter, 2 m (6.5ft.) in height including the apogee boost motor (ABM) andweighs 3 9 8 kilograms (880 pounds) including the ABM.

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    The Italian government research agency, ConsiglioNazionale della Ricerche (CNR), is sponsoring the projectwith coordination of the experiments under the directionof Centro Studi Telecommunicazioni Spaziali del Poli-tecnico (CSTS), Milan. A memorandum of understandingdated March 13, 1970, governs the portions of the projectwhich are the responsibility of the Italian government andthose to be undertaken by NASA .

    The Expendable Launch Vehicle Program Office in theOffice of Space Flight at NASA Headquarters, Washington,D.C., manages the contract CNR has with NASA which stipulatesthe launch support services NASA will provide until thespacecraft is on station -- about 30 to 4 5 days after launch.

    Launch support services include the Delta 2313 launchvehicle, launch from ETR and significant post-launch track-ing and data acquisition support.

    Overall responsibility for the satellite will pass toCNR as soon as the spacecraft has been separated from thelaunch vehicle although an Italian and American missioncontrol center team at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center,Greenbelt, Md., will actually handle operations until SIR10is checked out.

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    The ABM which puts the satellite in near-synchronousorbit is scheduled to be fired at the fourth apogee of thetransfer orbit approximately 39 hours after launch. AfterA B M firing, which will occur over the equator at approximately6 3 degrees W. longitude, the spacecraft will be allowed todrift easterly until it arrives at its final station locationof 15 degrees W. longitude. This drift phase should take 10days. During this time spacecraft orbit and attitude maneuverswill be performed to slow it and place it on station.the conclusion of on-station checkout, approximately 30 to4 5 days after launch, all operational control of the satellitewill be the responsibility of the S I R 1 0 Italian OperationControl Center (SIOCC) located at the Telespazio facilityat Fucino, Italy.

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    Direct responsibility f o r developing the spacecraftunder the overall supervision of CNR was given to CompagniaIndustriale Aerospaziale (CIASpA) in Rome. CIASpA used anumber of subcontractors in the project including Aeritalia,Turin; CGE-Fiar, Milan; Galileo, Florence; Laben, Milan;OTE, Florence; OTO-Melara, Las Spezia; SNIA-Viscosa, Rome;and Selenia, Rome.

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    G o d d a r d Space F l i g h t C e n t e r d i r e c t s t h e D e l t a p r o j e c tand M c D o n n e l l D o u g l a s A s t r o n a u t i c s C o . , Hunt ing ton B e a c h ,C a l i f . , i s t h e pr ime con t r ac to r . K e n n e d y Space C e n t e r i sr e s p o n s i b l e t o G o d d a r d C e n t e r f o r management of l auncho p e r a t i o n s over E T R .

    (END OF GENERAL REL EASE . BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOLLOWS.)

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    STRAIGHT-EIGHT DELTA STATISTICS

    The Delta launch vehicle project is under technicalmanagement of the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt,Md. McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co., Huntington Beach,Calif., is the prime contractor. The two-stage Delta model2313 has the following general characteristics:

    Height: 35.4 m (116 ft.) including shroudMaximum Diameter: 2.4 m (8 ft.) without attachedsolidsLiftoff Weight: 1 0 6 , 0 0 0 kg (230,250 lb.) or about116 tonsLiftoff Thrust: 1,278,000 newtons (286,500 lb.)

    including strap-on solids1 , 7 6 6 , 0 0 0 N (396,000 lb.) at 7 + 2 5 sec.

    First Stage(Liquid only): Extended long tank Thor produced byMcDonnell Douglas Astronautics., engines produced by

    Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International.Diameter: 2.4 m (8 ft.)Height: 21.3 m ( 7 0 ft.)Propellants: RJ-1 kerosene is used as the fuel andliquid oxygen (LOX) is utilized as theoxidizer.Thrust: 912,000 N (205,000 lb.)Burning Time: About 3 minutes and 4 8 seconds.Weight: Approximately 84,700 kg (93 tons) excludingstrap-on solids.Strap-on Solids: Three solid propellant rockets pro-duced by the Thiokol Chemical Corp.Diameter: 0.8 m (31 in.)Height: 6 .9 m (19.8 ft.)

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    LAUNCH OPERATIONS

    The Kennedy Space C e nt e r ' s Expendable V eh ic le sDi r e c t o r a t e p l a y s a k ey r o l e i n t h e p r e p a r a t i o n a nd l a u n c hof th e th rus t -augmented D e l t a r o ck e t c a r r y i n g S I R I O .

    D e l t a 1 3 3 w i l l be launched from Pad B , sou thernmos to f t h e t w o l aunch pads a t Complex 1 7 , Cape Canaveral A i rForce S t a t i o n , F l a .The D e l t a f i r s t s t a g e and i n t e r s t a g e w e r e e r e c t e d o nPad B J u l y 2 0 . The t h r e e s o l i d st r a p- o n r o c k e t motors w e r emounted i n p l a ce a round th e base of t h e f i r s t s t a g e a nd t h es eco n d s t ag e w a s e r e c t e d J u l y 2 1 .The S I R I O s p a c e c r a f t was r e c e i v e d a t Kennedy CenterJune 30 and underw ent i n i t i a l p r oc e s s i n g i n t h e S a t e l l i t eAssembly Building.T e s t F a c i l i t y a n d m a t e d w i t h t h e D e l t a t h i r d s t a g e.t h i r d s t a g e / s p a c e c r a f t a sse mb ly i s t o be moved t o Pad B andmated wi th De l t a 1 3 3 Aug. 10 . The pay load f a i r i n g wh ich i st o p r o t e c t t h e s p a c e c r a f t on i t s f l i g h t t hr ou gh t h e atmos-p h e r e i s t o be p u t i n p l a c e Aug. 1 6 .

    I t w a s l a t e r moved t o the D el t a S p i nT h e

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    CNR MANAGEMF,NT

    CNR H e a d q u a r t e r s

    P r o f . E r n e s t o Q u a y l i a r i e l l o P r e s i d e n tD r . E r n e s t o MangoP r o f . Francesco Scandone

    S e c r e t a r y GeneralDirec to r o f S p a c e A c t i v i t ySe rv i c e

    D E L T A / S I R I O LAUNCH TEAMCNRD r . Massirno Macchia S I R 1 0 P r o j e c t ManagerP r o f . Francesco C a r a s s aIng . S te fa no TrumpyD r , Giangrende B a r r e s i

    NASA H e a d q u a r t e r sJohn F. Y a r d l e y

    J o s e p h B , MahonPe t e r T. Eaton

    G o d d a r d S p a c e F l i g h t C e n t e rD r . R o b e r t S. CooperD r . W i l l i a m C . S c h n e i d e rR o b e r t C. BaumannW i l l i a m R . R u s s e l l

    P rog ram S c i e n t i s tF l i g h t O p e r a t i o n s M anagerLaunch Ope ra t i on s Manager

    Asso c i a t e Adm in i s t r a to rf o r Sp ace F l i g h tDirec to r of Expendab leL a u n c h V e h ic l e P r o g r a m sManager , D el ta Program

    Direc to rD i r e c t o r o f P r o j e c t ManagementA c t i n g D e l t a P r o j e c t ManagerDeputy D el t a P r o j e c tM a n a g e r , T e c h n i c a l

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