 Explorer 12 satellite | |
| Names | EPE-A Energetic Particles Explorer-A Explorer XII NASA S-3 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Space physics |
| Operator | NASA |
| Harvard designation | 1961 Upsilon 1 |
| COSPAR ID | 1961-020A |
| SATCAT no. | 00170 |
| Mission duration | 365 days (planned) 112 days (achieved) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Explorer XII |
| Spacecraft type | Energetic Particles Explorer |
| Bus | S-3 |
| Manufacturer | Goddard Space Flight Center |
| Launch mass | 37.6 kg (83 lb) |
| Power | 4 deployable solar arrays and batteries |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 16 August 1961, 03:21:25 GMT |
| Rocket | Thor-Delta A (Thor 312 / Delta 006) |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral, LC-17B |
| Contractor | Douglas Aircraft Company |
| Entered service | 16 August 1961 |
| End of mission | |
| Last contact | 6 December 1961 |
| Decay date | 1 September 1963 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit[1] |
| Regime | Highly elliptical orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 790 km (490 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 77,620 km (48,230 mi) |
| Inclination | 33.40° |
| Period | 1587.00 minutes |
| Instruments | |
| Charged particles Cosmic-Ray Experiment Electrostatic Analyzer of Solar Plasma Fluxgate Magnetometers Proton-Electron Scintillation Detector Solar Cell Damage Experiment | |
Explorer Program | |
Explorer 12, also called EPE-A or Energetic Particles Explorer-A and as S3), was a NASA satellite built to measure the solar wind, cosmic rays, and the Earth's magnetic field. It was the first of the S-3 series of spacecraft, which also included Explorer 12, 14, 15, and 26.[2] It was launched on 16 August 1961, aboard a Thor-Delta launch vehicle.[1] It ceased transmitting on 6 December 1961 due to power failure.[2]
- ^ a b "Trajectory: Explorer 12 1961-020A". NASA. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b "Display: Explorer 12 1961-020A". NASA. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
