NASA News<br />National Aeronautics and<br />Space Administration<br /><br />John F. Kennedy Space Center<br />Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899<br />AC 321-867-2468<br />____________________________________________________________________________<br />_______________________________<br />For Release: Aug. 12, 2003<br /><br />Bruce Buckingham<br />Kennedy Space Center, Fla.<br />321/867-2468<br /><br />KSC Release No.: 69 - 03<br /><br />SCISAT LAUNCHED SUCCESSFULLY ON PEGASUS XL<br /><br />The launch of the Canadian Space Agency's SCISAT-1 (Scientific Satellite<br />Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment) aboard an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL<br />vehicle occurred on time from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., at 10:09.33<br />p.m. EDT.<br /><br />The 330-pound SCISAT-1 spacecraft was placed into a 400-mile-high polar<br />orbit at an inclination of 73.9 degrees following spacecraft separation<br />which occurred 10 minutes, 38 seconds after deployment from the L-1011.<br /><br />The SCISAT-1 spacecraft will investigate processes that control the<br />distribution of ozone in the upper atmosphere. The purpose of the mission<br />is to measure and understand the chemical processes that control the<br />distribution of ozone in the Earth's atmosphere, particularly at high<br />altitudes. The data from the satellite will provide Canadian and<br />international scientists with improved measurements relating to global ozone<br />processes and help policymakers assess existing environmental policy and<br />develop protective measures for improving the health of our atmosphere,<br />preventing further ozone depletion. This mission is designed to last two<br />years.