[FPSPACE] QuickBird 1 launch failed

[Chris Jones]

Dwayne Allen Day <wayneday@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu> writes:

  On Tue, 21 Nov 2000, Igor Lissov wrote:
  
  > > QuickBird 1 should have been launched from Plesetsk Area 132 by
  > > Kosmos-3M launch vehicle November 20 at 22:00 UTC.
  > > Intended orbit inclination is 66 deg.
  > 
  > The launch failed. No confirmation was received of objects at intended
  > orbit.  OIG has the following elset:
  
  Does this mean that the rocket failed in flight or that it was never
  launched?
  
The first.  An element set implies that there was an object launched to be
tracked.  With that perigee, the satellite couldn't survive many orbits (I'd
guess one).  The second stage is reported to have shut down early.