Explorer 15

Explorer 15
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Explorer 15 (EPE-C)
Mission type Space physics
Operator NASA
Harvard designation 1962 βλ1
COSPAR ID 1962-059A[1]
SATCAT no. 445
Spacecraft properties
Bus EPE Bus
Launch mass 44.4 kg (98 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date 27 October 1962, 23:17 (1962-10-27UTC23:17) UTC[2]
Rocket Delta A[3]
Launch site Cape Canaveral LC-17B
End of mission
Decay date 19 December 1978 (1978-12-20)
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Highly Elliptical
Eccentricity 0.56183[1]
Perigee 300 km (190 mi)[1]
Apogee 17,438 km (10,835 mi)[1]
Inclination 18°[1]
Period 311.4 minutes[1]
Epoch 27 October 1962[1]
Instruments

Explorer 15, also called EPE-C, was an American satellite launched as part of Explorers program. Explorer 15 as launched on October 27, on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, United States, with Delta rocket.

Mission

Explorer 15 was a spin-stabilized, solar-cell powered spacecraft instrumented to study the artificial radiation belt produced by the Starfish high-altitude nuclear burst of July 1962. The backup payload for Explorer 14 was modified and used for Explorer 15. The instrumentation included three sets of particle detectors to study both electrons and protons, and a two-axis fluxgate magnetometer to determine magnetic aspect. A 16-channel PFM/PM time-division multiplexed telemeter was used. The time required to sample the 16 channels (one frame period) was 0.323 s. Half of the channels were used to convey eight-level digital information, and the others were used for analog information. During ground processing of the telemetered data, the analog information was digitized with an accuracy of 1/100th of full scale.

One analog channel was subcommutated in a pattern 16 frames long and was used to telemeter spacecraft temperatures, power system voltages, electric currents, etc. A digital solar aspect sensor measured the spin period and phase, digitized to 0.041 s, and the angle between the spin axis and the sun direction to about 3° intervals. During launch the spacecraft failed to despin. The spin rate ranged from 72.9 to 73.2 rpm during the life of the spacecraft. The spin axis pointed at right ascension 80.97° and declination 20.9°.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Explorer 15". NSSDC Master Catalog. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ↑ "Jonathan's Space Page".
  3. ↑ "EPE". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Mark Wade. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
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