Tweaked ATK Star 48 Motor Debuted in TacSat-4 Launch

摘要

The Sept. 27 launch of an experimental U.S. military communications satellite marked the debut of a new variant of ATK's Star 48 line of upper stage motors that the company says offers greater flight precision and flexibility.The Star 48BV motor served as the fourth stage on a Minotaur 4-plus rocket that launched the Navy's TacSat-4 communications satellite to low Earth orbit from Kodiak Island, Alaska. The motor features a flexible nozzle and thrust vector electronic control system (TVECS) that provides better maneuverability and control, the company said in a Nov. 28 press release.