Transit 5E-1

Transit 5E-1, International Designator 1963-038C, is an artificial satellite of the United States Department of Defense and launched on September 28, 1963, aboard a Thor rocket from the Vandenberg Air Force Base.^[1]

Transit 5E-1

Transit 5E-1
Mission type	Charged particle research Magnetospheric Solar research Geodesy
Operator	US Air Force
COSPAR ID	1963-038C
SATCAT no.	00671
Mission duration	11 years
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass	59 kilograms (130 lb)
Dimensions	0.46 m x 0.25 m
Start of mission
Launch date	28 September 1963, 20:22 (1963-09-28UTC20:22Z) UTC
Rocket	Thor DSV-2A Ablestar
Launch site	Vandenberg LC-75-1-1
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Semi-major axis	7,470.7 kilometers (4,642.1 mi)
Perigee altitude	1,070.9 kilometers (665.4 mi)
Apogee altitude	1,128.5 kilometers (701.2 mi)
Inclination	90.1 degrees
Period	107.1 minutes

Launch

Transit 5E-1 was launched to study charged particles, magnetic fields and solar spectra, as well as for geodetic research.^[2]

It was launched to a polar orbit, from where it did geomagnetic and geodetic measurements. Electrical power was produced by four solar panels.^[2] After August 1969, the satellite did measurements infrequently. The last data were transmitted in November, 1974.^[3]

See also

• Spaceflight portal

• 1963 in spaceflight