WASHINGTON – The United States, Russia and Japan conducted separate, successful satellite launches March 25 during an unplanned seven-hour triple header.
The triple header started with the liftoff of a United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket carrying the GPS 2F-9 satellite for the U.S. Air Force. The launch occurred at 2:36 pm EDT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
A few hours later, at 6:08 p.m. EDT, an ISC Kosmotros Dnepr rocket lifted off from Dombarovsky, Russia, placing South Korea’s Kompsat-3A Earth-observation satellite into orbit.
Finally, a Japanese H-2A rocket launched at 9:21 p.m. EDT from the Tanegashima Space Center, placing the IGS Optical 5 reconnaissance satellite into orbit.
