NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

Aeros 1

Launch Time
Sat Dec 16, 1972 11:24 UTC

Rocket

Scout D1
US Air Force
Status: Retired
Liftoff Thrust: 622 kN
Payload to LEO: 185 kg
Payload to GTO: 0 kg
Stages: 4
Strap-ons: 0
Rocket Height: 21.0 m

Mission Details

Aeros 1

The two Aeros satellites were joint German Bundesministerium für Bildung und Wissenschaft and NASA mission to study the aeronomy i. e. the science of the upper atmosphere and ionosphere, in particular the F-region under the strong influence of solar extreme ultraviolet radiation.

The Aeros satellites had a circular cylindrical shape, 0.91 m in diameter and 0.71 m in height. It was launched into an elliptical, polar, nearly sun-synchronous earth orbit. The spacecraft was spin stabilized at 10 rpm and oriented with the spin axis toward the sun. The satellites were built by Dornier.

The purpose of the mission was to study the state and behavior of the upper atmosphere and ionospheric F region, especially with regard to the influence of solar ultraviolet radiation. Five experiments provided data on the temperature and density of electrons, ions, and neutral particles, the composition of ions and neutral particles, and solar ultraviolet flux.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 127.0 kg
Polar Orbit

Location

SLC-5, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA

Stats

1972

107th orbital launch attempt

Scout

65th mission
5th mission of 1972
52nd successful mission
14th consecutive successful mission