Construction and launch QuikSCAT

launch of titan ii on june 19, 1999

in 1996, nasa scatterometer (nscat) launched aboard japanese advanced earth observing satellite (adeos-1). satellite designed record surface winds on water across world several years. however, unexpected failure in 1997 led termination of nscat project. following briefly successful mission, nasa began constructing new satellite replace failed one. planned build , have prepared launch possible limit gap in data between 2 satellites. in 12 months, quick scatterometer (quikscat) satellite constructed , ready launched, faster other nasa mission since 1950s.

the quikscat project budgeted @ $93 million, including physical satellite, launch rocket, , ongoing support science mission. series of rocket failures in november 1998 grounded titan (rocket family) launcher fleet, delayed launch of quikscat, , added $5 million initial cost.

a new instrument, seawinds scatterometer, carried on satellite. seawinds instrument, specialized microwave radar system, measured both speed , direction of winds near ocean surface. used 2 radars , spinning antenna record data across nine-tenths of oceans of world in single day. recorded 4 hundred thousand wind measurements daily, each covering area 1,800 kilometers (1,100 mi) in width. jet propulsion laboratory , nscat team jointly managed project of construction of satellite @ goddard space flight center. ball aerospace & technologies corp. supplied materials construct satellite.

in light of record-setting construction time, engineers worked on project given american electronics achievement award. achieved due new type of contract made satellite. instead of usual year given select contract , initiate development, constrained 1 month.

the newly constructed satellite set launch on titan ii rocket vandenberg air force base in california. rocket lifted off @ 7:15 pm pdt on 19 june 1999. 2 minutes , thirty seconds after launch, first engine shut down , second engaged moved on baja california peninsula. minute later, nose cone, @ top of rocket, separated 2 parts. sixteen seconds later, rocket re-oriented protect satellite sun. next 48 minutes, 2 crafts flew on antarctica , later on madagascar, rocket reached desired altitude of 500 mi (800 km).

at 59 minutes after launch, satellite separated rocket , pushed circular orbit around earth. shortly after, solar arrays deployed , connection established satellite @ 8:32 pm pdt tracking station in norway. next 2 weeks, shuttle used bursts engine fine-tune location , correct course desired motion. on july 7, eighteen days after take-off, scatterometer turned on , team of 12 personnel made detailed reviews of function of quikscat. month after entering orbit, team completed checks, , quikscat began collecting , transmitting backscatter measurements.