Explorer 32
NASA satellite of the Explorer program / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Explorer 32, also known as Atmosphere Explorer-B (AE-B),[2] was a NASA satellite launched by the United States to study the Earth's upper atmosphere. It was launched from Cape Canaveral on a Delta C1 launch vehicle, on 25 May 1966. It was the second of five "Atmosphere Explorer", the first being Explorer 17. Though it was placed in a higher-than-expected orbit by a malfunctioning second stage on its launch vehicle, Explorer 32 returned data for ten months before failing due to a sudden depressurization. The satellite reentered the Earth's atmosphere on 22 February 1985.[2]
Quick Facts Names, Mission type ...
Names | AE-B Atmosphere Explorer-B |
---|---|
Mission type | Earth science |
Operator | NASA |
COSPAR ID | 1966-044A |
SATCAT no. | 02183 |
Website | Explorer 32 |
Mission duration | 10 months (achieved) |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft | Explorer XXXII |
Spacecraft type | Atmosphere Explorer |
Bus | AE |
Manufacturer | Goddard Space Flight Center |
Launch mass | 224.5 kg (495 lb) |
Power | Silver zinc batteries and Solar cells |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 25 May 1966, 14:00:00 GMT |
Rocket | Thor-Delta C1 (Thor 436 / Delta 038) |
Launch site | Cape Canaveral, LC-17B |
Contractor | Douglas Aircraft Company |
Entered service | 25 May 1966 |
End of mission | |
Last contact | March 1967 |
Decay date | 22 February 1985 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric orbit[1] |
Regime | Low Earth orbit |
Perigee altitude | 276 km (171 mi) |
Apogee altitude | 2,725 km (1,693 mi) |
Inclination | 64.67° |
Period | 116.00 minutes |
Instruments | |
Electron Temperature and Density Ion Mass Spectrometer Neutral Particle Magnetic Mass Spectrometer Pressure Gauges Satellite Drag Atmospheric Density | |
Explorer program |
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