Explorer 38 (RAE-A)

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

17:26:50

Thursday July 4, 1968

Mission Details

Explorer 38 (RAE-A)

Wiki

The RAE-1 also known as RAE-A or Explorer 38 spacecraft measured the intensity of celestial radio sources, particularly the sun, as a function of time, direction, and frequency (0.2 to 20 MHz). It carried two 750-ft-long V-antennas, one facing toward the earth and one facing away from the earth. A 120-ft-long dipole antenna was oriented tangentially with respect to the earth's surface. The spacecraft was also equipped with one 136-MHz telemetry turnstile. The onboard experiments consisted of four step-frequency Ryle-Vonberg radiometers operating from 0.45 to 9.18 MHz, two multichannel total power radiometers operating from 0.2 to 5.4 MHz, one step frequency V-antenna impedance probe operating from 0.24 to 7.86 MHz, and one dipole antenna capacitance probe operating from 0.25 to 2.2 MHz. RAE-1 was designed for a 1-year minimum operating lifetime. The spacecraft tape recorder performance began to deteriorate after 2 months in orbit. In spite of several cases of instrument malfunction, good data were obtained on all three antenna systems.

Medium Earth Orbit

1 Payload

Rocket

Retired
Delta J

Active in 1968


Payload to Orbit

LEO: 800 kg

GTO: 263 kg

Stages

3

Strap-ons

3

Launch Site

SLC-2E (75-1-1)

Vandenberg SFB, California, USA

Fastest Turnaround

3 days 22 hours

Stats

Delta J


1st

Mission

1st

Mission of 1968

1968


61st

Orbital launch attempt