Launch Failure

Liftoff Time (GMT)

22:40:05

Monday November 30, 1970

Watch Replay

Official Livestream

Mission Details

Launch Notes

Payload fairing failed to separate.

OAO-B

Wiki

OAO B (Orbiting Astronomical Observatory B) was one of a series of automated astronomical observatories which were ground-controlled in orientation and were placed in a low earth orbit. The experiments gathered for the unsuccessful OAO-B were called the Goddard Experiments Package, after rocket pioneer Robert Goddard. This spacecraft carried a moderate resolution scanning spectrometer system using a relatively fast 38-in. cassegrain telescope to determine the composition and properties of early (types A and B) stars, as well as properties of variable stars and peculiar B stars using absolute spectrophotometric data (1000-4000 Å with 2 Å resolution). The optical system was to use a relatively fast 36-inch cassegrain telescope with a large aperture spectrophotometer. Six photomultipliers were to be used in a pulse-counting mode for data recovery.

Low Earth Orbit

1 Payload

2,121 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
Atlas-SLV3C Centaur-D

Active 1967 to 1972


Stages

2

Launch Site

SLC-36B

Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA

Fastest Turnaround

50 days 6 hours

Stats

Atlas-Centaur


21st

Mission

1st

Mission of 1970

1970


110th

Orbital launch attempt