[GeoStL] GPS Satellite Launch

-
Rocket launch honors September 11 victims
By Richard Stenger
CNN
Wednesday, January 29, 2003 Posted: 2:32 PM EST (1932 GMT)
   

 
(CNN) -- A military satellite roared into orbit on Wednesday, ferried atop a 
booster rocket that carried a phrase in tribute to victims of one of the 
September 11 terror attacks. 

The Delta 2 rocket, which launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in 
Florida, had "Let's Roll!" written on the nose cone. 

Todd Beamer spoke the words, overheard on a cell phone, moments before he and 
other airplane passengers charged terrorists who had taken control of Flight 
93, which crashed in western Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001. 

The U.S. Air Force has placed the phrase on various military aircraft to 
recognize the heroes and victims of the 2001 attacks. 

The Boeing-built rocket launch was to place a 2.3-ton global positioning system 
(GPS) satellite into orbit. The satellite will join a constellation of GPS 
orbiters that help guide high-tech weapons. 

The GPS spacecraft also provide navigation and positioning information for 
civilian use worldwide. 

The $130 million mission was also to deploy an XSS-10 satellite, an 
experimental Air Force spacecraft that weighs only 62 pounds (23 kg). 



 ****************************************************************************
 Our WebPage!  Http://WWW.GeoStL.com  
 Mail List Info. 
 http://www.freelists.org/cgi-bin/list?list_id=geocaching 
 The SLAGA E-store is closed for image repairs but this is what is there.
The SLAGA E-store  http://www.cafeshops.com/cp/store.aspx?s=SLAGA   
****************************************************************************

Other related posts:

  • » [GeoStL] GPS Satellite Launch