NASA tries to salvage satellite in wrong orbit

May 3, 1983

A test firing of two small rockets on a troubled US data-relay satellite was reported to be satisfactory. A NASA spokesman said the firing was 41 minutes - 19 minutes shorter than planned, because a secondary positioning jet reached its maximum temperature due to inactivity. But, he said that this problem is easily corrected and that the test appeared to confirm that engineers had found the right means to boost the satellite gradually into its proper orbit.