SP-4012 NASA HISTORICAL DATA BOOK: VOLUME III
PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS 1969-1978
 

Table 3-63. Explorer 49 Characteristics

 

Also called:

Radio Astronomy Explorer B (RAE-B)

Date of launch (range):

June 10, 1973 (ETR)

Launch vehicle:

Delta 1913

Shape:

truncated cylinder with 4 solar paddles

Weight (kg):

330.2

Dimensions (m):

0.92, diameter; 1.83 with cameras and solar arrays

0.79, height; 1.47, with cameras and solar arrays

1.60, length with cameras and solar arrays

Power source:

solar array plus NiCd battery

Prime contractor:

in-house

Date of reentry:

N/A

Responsible NASA center:

GSFC

Project manager:

John T. Shea

Project scientist:

Robert G. Stone

Objectives:

To measure from lunar orbit the intensity of radio signals from celestial sources as a function of frequency, direction, and time in the frequency range below 20 MHz.

Experiments (responsible organization):

..

Galactic studies (GSFQ

Sporadic low-frequency solar radio bursts (GSFQ

Observations of sporadic Jovian bursts (GSFC)

Radio emission from the terrestrial magnetosphere (GSFQ

Observations of cosmic sources (GSFQ

Results:

Successful; in addition to data from the experiments, lunar gravity analysis data were also obtained.

 

Reference: MOR S-877-73-02, June 6, 1973.


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