Explorer 27
 Depiction of Explorer 27 in orbit | |
| Operator | NASA |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 1965-032A |
| SATCAT no. |
01328 |
| Website | |
| Mission duration | ~8 Years |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | GSFC |
| Power | Solar Panels |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 29 April 1965 |
| Rocket | Scout |
| Launch site | Wallops Flight Facility |
| End of mission | |
| Last contact | 20 July 1973 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | LEO |
| Eccentricity | 0.02618 |
| Perigee | 932.3 km (579.3 mi) |
| Apogee | 1,311.3 km (814.8 mi) |
| Inclination | 41.1° |
| Period | 107.6 minutes |
| Instruments | |
| Radio Beacon, Langmuir probe | |
Explorer 27 (or BE-C or Beacon Explorer-C or Beacon-C) was a satellite, launched in 1965, designed to conduct scientific research in the ionosphere.[1] It was powered by 4 solar panels. One goal or the mission was to study in detail the shape of the Earth by way of investigating variations in its gravitational field.[2] It was the third and last of the Beacons in the Explorers program. The satellite was shut off in 1973 because its transmission band was going to be used by higher-priority spacecraft.
Instruments
Explorer 27 carried four instruments, located on the main bus. They included a Langmuir probe, used to measure the temperature or the surrounding space, a Radio Beacon to test new means of ground-to-space communication, a Doppler navigation experiment, a passive laser reflector to allow tracking. A three-axis magnetometer measured the orientation compared to the local magnetic field due to the Earth, and there was also a Sun sensor. A bar magnet and damping rod caused the satellite spin to match up with the magnetic field direction.[1]
The radio transmitter operated on 162 and 324 MHz. However it was turned off on 20 July 1973 because it was interfering with other satellites.[1] The passive laser reflectors continue to be used due to the low inclination.[3]
References
- 1 2 3 "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov.
- ↑ "Explorer Series of Spacecraft". NASA. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
- ↑ "International Laser Ranging Service: Beacon-C". ilrs.cddis.eosdis.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2018-04-19.
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