Explorer 12
Mission type | Space Physics |
---|---|
Operator | NASA |
COSPAR ID | 1961-020A |
SATCAT no. | 170 |
Website | |
Mission duration | ~4 months |
Spacecraft properties | |
Manufacturer | GSFC |
Launch mass | 37.6 kilograms (83 lb) |
Dry mass | 37.6 kilograms (83 lb) |
Power | Solar |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 16 August 1961, 23:21 UTC |
Rocket | Thor-Delta |
Launch site | Cape Canaveral LC-17B |
End of mission | |
Last contact | 6 December 1961 |
Decay date | 1 September 1963 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | LEO |
Eccentricity | 0.84091 |
Perigee | 790 kilometers (490 mi) |
Apogee | 77,620 kilometers (48,230 mi) |
Inclination | 33.4° |
Period | 1587 minutes |
Explorer 12 (also known as S3) was a United States Satellite built to measure Solar wind, Cosmic ray, and Magnetic field[1]. It was launched on August 16 1961, aboard a Thor-Delta booster[2]. Explorer 11 was the first of the 3 S3 series spacecraft. It ceased transmitting on December 6 due to power failure.
Instruments
Explorer 12 was designed to study space physics, and so had a multitude of instruments including a cosmic-ray detector, a particle trapper, and a magnetometer. Good data was recorded for 90% of the mission.
References
- ↑ Explorer 12 Description nasa.gov
- ↑ Explorer 12 orbit nasa.gov
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