AEROS (satellite)

AEROS
	AEROS Satellite
Mission type	Earth observation
Operator	BMBF and NASA
COSPAR ID	AEROS A: 1972-100A; AEROS B: 1974-055A;
SATCAT no.	AEROS A: 6315; AEROS B: 7371;
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass	125.7 kilograms (277 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	AEROS A: 16 December 1972; AEROS B: 16 July 1974;
Rocket	Scout
Launch site	Vandenberg AFB
End of mission
Decay date	AEROS A: 1973-08-22; AEROS B: 1975-09-25;
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Eccentricity	AEROS A: 0.04648; AEROS B: 0.04776;
Perigee altitude	AEROS A: 223 km (139 mi); AEROS B: 217 km (135 mi);
Apogee altitude	AEROS A: 867 km (539 mi); AEROS B: 879 km (546 mi);
Inclination	AEROS A: 96.9 degrees; AEROS B: 97.4 degrees;
Period	AEROS A: 95.6 minutes; AEROS B: 95.7 minutes;
Epoch	AEROS A: 15 December 1972, 19:00:00 UTC; AEROS B: 15 July 1974, 20:00:00 UTC;

AEROS^[5]^: 12 satellites were 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. To this end the spectrum of this radiation was recorded aboard by one instrument (of type Hinteregger) on the one hand and a set of 4 other instruments measuring the most important neutral uand iononized parameters at the satellite's position on the other.

Aeros was built by Ball Aerospace for a co-operative project between NASA and the Bundesministerium für Foschung und Technologie (BMwF), Federal Republic of Germany.^[5]^: 82

Named for the Greek god of the air at the suggestion of the BMwF .^[6]

AEROS A and B carried identical instrumentation only the instrument measuring short scale variations of the electron density didn't work on A. A third Aeros C was planned for Earth Resources studies in a 3-axis spin-stabilized configuration, to be launched by a Shuttle in 1986.^[5]^{(Needs research)}

Specifications

Source: Yenne^[5]^{[page needed]}

Launch vehicles: Scout
Launch location: Western Space and Missile Center at Vandenberg AFB
Launch dates: 16 December 1972 (AEROS), 16 July 1974 (AEROS B)
Re-entry dates: 22 August 1973 (AEROS), 2 September 1975 (AEROS B)
Total weight: 280 pounds and 436 pounds for AEROS C
Diameter: 36 inches
Height: 28 inches
Shape: Cylindrical
Power: Solar cells/nickel-cadmium batteries
Power requirements: 4.7-34.3 watts

References

^ "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
^ "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
^ "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Trajectory Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
^ "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Trajectory Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
^ a b c d Yenne, Bill (1985). The Encyclopedia of US Spacecraft. Exeter Books (A Bison Book), New York. ISBN 0-671-07580-2.
^ Helen T. Wells; Susan H. Whiteley & Carrie E. Karegeannes. Origin of NASA Names. NASA Science and Technical Information Office. p. 33.

External links

Goddard Space Flight Center
AEROS B Satellite

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[1] "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved May 4, 2018.

[2] "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved May 4, 2018.

[3] "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Trajectory Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved May 4, 2018.

[4] "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Trajectory Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved May 4, 2018.

[Yenne-5] Yenne, Bill (1985). The Encyclopedia of US Spacecraft. Exeter Books (A Bison Book), New York. ISBN 0-671-07580-2.

[6] Helen T. Wells; Susan H. Whiteley & Carrie E. Karegeannes. Origin of NASA Names. NASA Science and Technical Information Office. p. 33.