Date of launch (range):
Aug. 12, 1977 (ETR)
Launch vehicle:
Atlas-Centaur
Shape:
cylindrical with solar panels (2
modules:experiment and equipment)
Weight (kg):
2721.55
Dimensions (m):
2.35, diameter
6.10, length
Power source:
solar arrays plus NiCd
batteries
Prime contractor:
TRW
Date of reentry:
March 15, 1979
Responsible NASA center:
MSFC
Project manager:
F. A. Speer
Project scientist:
McDonald (GSFC)
Objectives:
To map the x-ray and gamma ray sky
over the range 150-10 mill. electron volts, measure size and
obtain precise location data on x-ray sources in the range
1-15 thousand electron volts, and determine the contribution
of discrete sources to the x-ray background.
Experiments (responsible
organization):
.
Large area x-ray survey (Naval
Research Laboratory)
Cosmic x-ray (GSFC and California
Institute of Technology)
Scanning modulation collimator
(Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and Massachusetts
Institute of Technology)
Hard x-ray and low-energy gamma ray
(Univ. of California, San Diego, and MIT)
Results:
Highly successful; officially
terminated in Sept. 1979.
Reference: MOR S-832-77-01, July 29, 1977.