Miranda (X-4)

The British Miranda satellite, also known as X-4, was an experimental spacecraft. It was designed to serve as an engineering test bed to check the application of a three-axis integrating gyro system for attitude control and a three-axis rate gyro system for rate control. The satellite was in the form of a box 83.5 cm high, with a square base 66.5 cm on a side. Electrical power to the spacecraft was supplied from batteries and solar panels. When fully deployed the panels measured 250 cm in length.