Athena II

In-active Athena

Lockheed Martin (LMT)

Jan. 7, 1998

Description

The Athena II is an American small expendable launch system which was used for three launches between 1998 and 1999.

Specifications
  • Stages
    4
  • Length
    28.2 m
  • Diameter
    2.36 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    2.36 m
  • Launch Mass
    120 T
  • Thrust
    1900 kN
Family
  • Name
    Athena II
  • Family
    Athena
  • Variant
    II
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Athena II
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
    2065 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    593 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    1165 kg

Lockheed Martin

Commercial
None
LMT 1953

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.

Athena II | Ikonos

Lockheed Martin | USA
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Sept. 24, 1999, 6:21 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems, an operating unit of Missiles & Space, has revolutionized the space-based imagery market with the development of the first commercial satellite capable of resolving objects on the ground as small as one meter in diameter. The company is providing a spacecraft, designated IKONOS 1, for Space Imaging, Thornton, CO, which offers high-resolution imagery of the Earth to customers around the world.

Polar Orbit
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Athena II | Ikonos 1

Lockheed Martin | USA
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
April 27, 1999, 6:22 p.m.
Status: Launch Failure
Mission:

Earth observation satellite developed by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems. The launch failed when the payload shroud of the Athena-2 launch vehicle failed to separate.

Polar Orbit
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Athena II | Lunar Prospector

Lockheed Martin | USA
Cape Canaveral, FL, USA
Jan. 7, 1998, 2:28 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:

Lunar Prospector was a small spin stabilized lunar orbiter. Using its Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS), it collected a large amount of scientific data that helps researchers understand the chemical composition of the lunar surface.

Lunar Orbit
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