Success
Lewis
Earth Science
Lockheed Martin(LMT)Commercial
Athena I
LEOorbit
Lewis was one of two missions selected under NASA's SSTI (Small Spacecraft Technology Initiative) program to demonstrate advanced spacecraft technologies (11 July 1994).
Saturday, August 23, 1997 at 6:51 AM
Mission details
Orbital Attempt
#4,164
LMT Mission
#26
Pad Launch
#2
Location Launch
#575
Designator
1997-044
Launch Window
NET
Aug 23, 1997, 6:51 AM
Schedule Changes
1 update
Space Launch Complex 6
Space Launch Complex 6 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California is a launch pad and support area. The site was originally developed starting in 1966, but no launches occurred until 1995, as it was repurposed sequentially for three programs that were subsequently cancelled. Initially to be used for Titan IIIM rockets and the Manned Orbiting Laboratory, these were cancelled before construction of SLC-6 was complete. The complex was later rebuilt to serve as the west coast launch site for the Space Shuttle, but went unused due to budget, safety and political considerations. The pad was subsequently used for four Athena rocket launches before being modified to support the Delta IV launch vehicle family, which used the pad for ten launches from 2006 until 2022. The last Delta IV launched in September 2022, and SpaceX leased SLC-6 in 2023 to convert it to launch Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy starting in 2025.
Total Launches
14
Orbital Attempts
14
Fastest Turnaround
4mo 9d
Athena I Specs
The Athena I, known as the Lockheed Launch Vehicle (LLV) at the time of its first flight and Lockheed Martin Launch Vehicle (LMLV) at the time of its second flight, is an American small expendable launch system which was used for four launches between 1995 and 2001. It is a member of the Athena family of rockets, along with the larger Athena II.
Length
18.9 m
Diameter
2.36 m
Launch Mass
66 t
Thrust
1,900 kN
LEO Capacity
820 kg
SSO Capacity
360 kg
Reusable
No
Maiden Flight
1995
Fastest Turnaround
1y 5mo
Total Launches
4
Successful
3
Failed
1
Consecutive Success
3
Maiden flight: Aug 15, 1995
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin's Space Division started in the production of missiles and later ICBM's in the 1950s. Their TITAN missile system was used for 12 Gemini spacecraft and the Voyager probes. They have worked largely in collaboration with NASA on many of their probes, landers, and spacecraft, and hope to play a key role in NASA's return to the moon in 2024.
Founded
1953
Total Launches
80
Successful
77
Failed
3
Pending
0
Consecutive Success
38
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Vandenberg Space Force Base is a United States Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California. Established in 1941, Vandenberg Space Force Base is a space launch base, launching spacecraft from the Western Range, and also performs missile testing. The United States Space Force's Space Launch Delta 30 serves as the host delta for the base, equivalent to an Air Force air base wing. In addition to its military space launch mission, Vandenberg Space Force Base also hosts space launches for civil and commercial space entities, such as NASA and SpaceX.
Timezone
America/Los_Angeles
Local Launch Time
Aug 22, 1997, 11:51 PM
Total Launches
885
Total Landings
34
Coordinates
34.7513, -120.5202