Also called:
Netherlands Astronomical
Satellite
Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU)
between NASA and Netherlands
Satellite Program Authority June 5, 1970
Date of launch (range):
Aug. 30, 1974 (WTR)
Launch vehicle:
Scout
Shape:
rectangular
Weight (kg):
130
Dimensions (m):
0.73, depth
1.23, height
0.61, width (1.44 with solar panels
extended)
Power source:
solar panels plus NiCd battery
Prime contractor:
ICANS
Date of reentry:
June 14, 1977
NASA's role:
launch vehicle and technical support;
participation in experiment program
Responsible NASA center:
GSFC
Project manager:
Emil Hymowitz
Project scientist:
Joseph Stecher
Objectives:
to increase scientific knowledge of
stellar ultraviolet and x-ray sources.
Experiments (responsible country or
organization):
.
ultraviolet telescope
(Netherlands)
soft x-ray (Netherlands)
hard x-ray (GSFC)
Results:
Although the spacecraft was put in an
elliptical (1176 X 266 km) rather than a near-circular (560
x 5 10 km) orbit because of a launch vehicle first-stage
malfunction, the experiments returned useful data; some
observation time was lost, however, during the 20 months of
operational lifetime.
Reference: MOR S-875-74-01, Aug. 21, 1974 and July 18, 1978.