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I want to be able to model the entire launch mission of the spacecraft GOES-O and its Launcher, Delta 4,2 medium plus.

Is it in anyway possible to obtain:-

  1. The burn profile, (simplified ones are fine like constant burn rate, constant acceleration, etc.).
  2. The time at which the gravity turn starts, along with the information about how does the rate of change of angle from vertical take place.
  3. The final velocity, position and angle where the spacecraft is released, for eg. GOES-O, in my case. So that I can calculate the further maneuvers on my own.

I have tried searching on the official NASA site, but couldn't get a clear information.

I need to obtain the parameters so that I can broadly comment upon the Trajectory followed by the rocket.

It would be great if someone could provide me with the links or any such related information from their knowledge. I require it for my Project.

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The operations manual is here:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/pdf/390651main_shuttle_crew_operations_manual.pdf

Page 5.5.2 (page 825 of the PDF!) has quite a bit of information on angles and timings... but not enough information to fly the whole things manually, for example. Bear in mind the pilots would largely be watching the automatic systems fly the machine at that stage, so this manual doesn't give the full information. It should provide a good starting point though.

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  • $\begingroup$ Is it specific to this rocket? $\endgroup$
    – Manish
    Apr 13, 2015 at 8:54
  • $\begingroup$ Actually i need the information to be a bit specific $\endgroup$
    – Manish
    Apr 13, 2015 at 9:01
  • $\begingroup$ It relates to the Space Shuttle only (as I thought was mentioned in your question). The Delta rocket would be a very different profile - for example, the shuttle generally flew a shallower trajectory to allow various safe abort modes to save the shuttle & crew if an engine failed. $\endgroup$
    – Andy
    Apr 13, 2015 at 9:01
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    $\begingroup$ Sorry - I suggest you edit your question and remove the "Space shuttle" bit and replace with "launcher" or "launch vehicle". That bit confused me. (The GOES satellites were never launched by a shuttle.) We'd need some information specific to the Deltas... $\endgroup$
    – Andy
    Apr 13, 2015 at 9:04
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    $\begingroup$ A bit more information here - a 2013 version of the Delta "User guide" which gives some approximate stage burn times, and so on, starting page 26 of the PDF for geostationary transfers: web.archive.org/web/20140710005717/http://www.ulalaunch.com/… . (This was linked from the wiki page for the delta 4, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_IV). Hope this gives you a bit more information - still not a full launch profile though... $\endgroup$
    – Andy
    Apr 13, 2015 at 9:29

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