26932 - SAPPHIRE

SAPPHIRE (a US DoD-funded microsatellite) was built by the Stanford University students and faculty, and carries a voice synthesizer to convert text messages into human voice. (For launch details, see STARSHINE 3). The initial orbital parameters were period 101 min, altitude 794 km, and inclination 67 deg.

Alternate Names

OSCAR 45

Facts in Brief

Launch Date: 2001-09-30
Launch Vehicle: Athena 1
Launch Site: Kodiak Launch Complex, United States