Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

13:59:04

Saturday January 25, 1964

Mission Details

Echo 2

Wiki

Echo 2 was a 41.1-meter-diameter (135 ft) balloon satellite, the last launched by Project Echo. A revised inflation system was used for the balloon, to improve its smoothness and sphericity. Echo 2's skin was rigidizable, unlike that of Echo 1A. Therefore, the balloon was capable of maintaining its shape without a constant internal pressure; a long-term supply of inflation gas was not needed, and it could easily survive strikes from micrometeoroids. The balloon was constructed from "a 0.35 mil (9 µm) thick mylar film sandwiched between two layers of 0.18 mil (4.5 µm) thick aluminum foil and bonded together."

1 Payload

66 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
Thor DM-21 Agena-B

Active 1960 to 1965


Stages

3

Launch Site

SLC-2E (75-1-1)

Vandenberg SFB, California, USA

Fastest Turnaround

3 days 22 hours

Stats

Thor-Agena


85th

Mission

3rd

Mission of 1964

1964


4th

Orbital launch attempt