Falcon Gold [GDK]
Official name ATLAS 2A CENTAUR R/B
Alternative name Atlas IIA second stage (Centaur IIA) with Falcon Gold
Cospar ID 1997-065B
Norad ID 25020
Launch date 1997-10-25
Launch site AFETR
Launch vehicle Atlas-2A
Country/Organization USA
Type application Technology
Operator US Air Force (USAF)
RCS size LARGE
Decay date 1998-09-27
Shape Cyl
Mass (kg) 2118
Diameter (m) 3.1
Height (m) 10.1
Span (m^2) 10.1
Lifetime 10-15 days
Contractors US Air Force Academy (payload)
Equipment GPS Receiver
Propulsion none (after Centaur burn out)
Configuration Centaur-2A stage with instrument box
Power Batteries

Falcon Gold was an US Air Force Academy experiment to demonstrate use of GPS navigation in orbits above the GPS constellation.

Cadets participated in all phases of the mission including systems design, fabrication, launch vehicle integration, qualification testing, launch site operations, and mission operations.

Falcon Gold carried a GPS sensor to sample and characterize GPS signals.

The instrument package was bolted to the Centaur-2A stage of an Atlas-2A, which launched the DSCS-3 B13 satellite on 25 October 1997. The Centaur was completely inert during Falcon-Gold operations. All systems operated nominally during the successful mission until primary battery power on the spacecraft was depleted. Data was received fom 3 November to 9 November 1997.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
ATLAS 2A CENTAUR R/B 1997-065B 1997-10-25 AFETR Atlas-2A with DSCS-3 B13