NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

OAO-3

Launch Time
Mon Aug 21, 1972 10:28 UTC

Rocket

Atlas-SLV3C Centaur-D
Image Credit: USAF or NASA
General Dynamics
Status: Retired
Stages: 2
Strap-ons: 0

Mission Details

OAO-3

The Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO) satellites were a series of four American space observatories launched by NASA which provided the first high-quality observations of many objects in ultraviolet light. Although two OAO missions were failures, the success of the other two increased awareness within the astronomical community of the benefits of space-based observations, and led to the instigation of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Total Mass: 2,204.0 kg
Low Earth Orbit

Location

SLC-36B, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA

Stats

1972

69th orbital launch attempt

Atlas-Centaur

29th mission
4th mission of 1972
21st successful mission
6th consecutive successful mission