Space Technology Research Vehicle

STRV
Mission type	experimental
Operator	UK Ministry of Defence
COSPAR ID	1A: 1994-034B; 1B: 1994-034C; 1C: 2000-072C; 1D: 2000-072D
SATCAT no.	1A: 23125[1]; 1B: 23126[1]; 1C: 26610[2]; 1D: 26611[2]
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer	DRA
Launch mass	1A & 1B: 50 kg (110 lb) each; 1C & 1D: 100 kg (220 lb) each
Start of mission
Launch date	1A & 1B: 07:07:19, 17 June 1994 (UTC); 1C & 1D:01:07, 16 November 2000 (UTC)
Rocket	1A & 1B: Ariane 44LP; 1C & 1D:Ariane 5
Launch site	Guiana Space Center
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Perigee altitude	1A & 1B: 284 km (176 mi); 1C & 1D: 615 km (382 mi)
Apogee altitude	1A & 1B: 35,831 km (22,264 mi); 1C & 1D: 39,269 km (24,401 mi)
Inclination	1A & 1B: 7.1°; 1C & 1D:6.4°
Period	1A & 1B: 633 min; 1C & 1D: 708 min

Space Technology Research Vehicle, or STRV, was a series of British microsatellites which operated in elliptical orbits around the Earth. The satellites were built by the Defence Research Agency at Farnborough, for the UK Ministry of Defence.[3]

Mission

The series of four satellites, launched as two pairs, were designed to test new technologies in the harsh radiation environment of a geostationary transfer orbit. Each satellite had an expected 1 year life-time and carries myriad detectors, sensors and other equipment for a variety of organisations including the UK MoD, ESA and the US Department of Defense. The satellites were controlled from the DRA groundstation at Lasham in the UK.[3] Several of the STRV satellites' experiments also recorded proton and electron data as they repeatedly passed through the Van Allen Belts.[4]

Payloads

Two satellites were launched in June 1994 and another two were launched in November 2000, from the space center in French Guiana.[5]

STRV 1A & 1B

STRV 1A and STRV 1B are cube-shaped micro-satellites each with a mass of 50 kg. They were launched into orbit to test new solar cells and measure static charge on its surfaces.[6]

STRV 1C & 1D

STRV 1C and STRV 1D are cube-shaped micro-satellite each with a mass of 100 kg and carry test technology devices including lithium ion batteries and a GPS receiver.[6]

References

"International Designator 1994-034". Celestrak. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
"International Designator 2000-072". Celestrak. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
"STRV 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
"STRV Satellites Ready for Launch". About.com. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
"Sat Cat". Celestrak. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
"SPACEWARN Bulletin 565". NASA. Retrieved 26 June 2012.

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[satcat1-1] "International Designator 1994-034". Celestrak. Retrieved 22 June 2020.

[satcat2-2] "International Designator 2000-072". Celestrak. Retrieved 22 June 2020.

[sky-3] "STRV 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 25 June 2012.

[about-4] "STRV Satellites Ready for Launch". About.com. Retrieved 26 June 2012.

[celestrak-5] "Sat Cat". Celestrak. Retrieved 25 June 2012.

[SPACEWARN_Bulletin_565-6] "SPACEWARN Bulletin 565". NASA. Retrieved 26 June 2012.