Also called:
Atmosphere Explorer C
Date of launch (range):
Dec. 15, 1973 (WTR)
Launch Vehicle:
Delta 1900
Shape:
polyhedron (16-sided)
Weight (kg):
668
Dimensions (m):
1.35, diameter
1.15, height
Power source:
solar cells plus NiCd
batteries
Prime contractor:
RCA Astro-Electronics Div.
Date of reentry:
Dec. 12, 1978
Responsible NASA center:
GSFC
Project Manager:
R. Stephens
Project scientist:
Nelson W. Spencer
Objectives:
To obtain data relating solar
ultraviolet activity to atmospheric composition in the lower
thermosphere.
Experiments (responsible
organization):
. .
Ultraviolet (nitric oxide) photometer
(Univ. of Colorado)
Cylindrical electrostatic probe (GSFC
and Harvard College Observatory)
Bennett (positive) ion mass
spectrometer (GSFC)
Atmosphere density accelerometer (Air
Force Cambridge Research Laboratories)
Photoelectron spectrometer (Applied
Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins)
Retarding potential analyzer (Univ.
of Texas at Dallas)
Visual airglow photometer (Univ. of
Michigan, Yale University, and Univ. of Toronto)
Solar EUV filter photometer
(GSFC)
Solar EUV spectrophotometer
(AFCRL)
Magnetic ion mass spectrometer (Univ.
of TX at Dallas and National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration)
Low-energy electron spectrometer
(GSFC and NOAA)
Open source neutral mass spectrometer
(Univ. of Minnesota)
Closed source neutral mass
spectrometer (GSFC and Univ. of MN)
Neutral atmosphere temperature
spectrometer (Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory,
Harvard, and Yale)
Results:
Successful; 2d-generation Atmosphere
Explorer; data received by an aeronomy team of 17 scientists
from 9 installations.
Reference: MOR S-852-73-03, Dec. 7, 1973.