Azur (satellite)

Azur (also called GRS-A) was West Germany's first scientific satellite. Launched on 8 November 1969 it studied the Van Allen belts, solar particles, and aurorae.^[2][3]

Azur

Operator	BMWF/DLR
COSPAR ID	1969-097A
SATCAT no.	4221
Mission duration	7 months, 20 days (achieved) 55 years, 9 months, 4 days (in orbit)
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer	BMWF/NASA
Launch mass	71 kilograms (157 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	8 November 1969, 01:52 (1969-11-08UTC01:52Z) UTC
Rocket	Scout B S169C
Launch site	Vandenberg SLC-5
End of mission
Last contact	29 June 1970 (1970-06-30)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Medium Earth Decayed into Low Earth
Periapsis altitude	368 kilometres (229 mi)
Apoapsis altitude	1,445 kilometres (898 mi)
Inclination	102.70 degrees
Period	102.99 minutes
Epoch	6 December 2013, 12:36:47 UTC[1]

The construction of the satellite was carried out by Ludwig Bölkow, one of the aeronautical pioneers of Germany, and with the participation of other German companies.^[4]