| Operator | CSA / NASA |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 1969-009A |
| SATCAT no. | 03669 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | RCA Victor |
| Launch mass | 241.0 kilograms (531.3 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 30 January 1969, 06:43:00 UTC |
| Rocket | Delta E1 485/D65 |
| Launch site | Vandenberg SLC-2E |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | LEO |
| Eccentricity | 0.017475 |
| Perigee altitude | 578 kilometres (359 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 3,526 kilometres (2,191 mi) |
| Inclination | 82.42º |
| Period | 128.42 minutes |
| Operator | CSA / NASA |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 1971-024A |
| SATCAT no. | 05104 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | RCA Victor |
| Launch mass | 264.0 kilograms (582.0 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 01 April 1971, 02:53:00 UTC |
| Rocket | Delta E1 |
| Launch site | Vandenberg SLC-2E |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | LEO |
| Eccentricity | 0.0045 |
| Perigee altitude | 1,358 kilometres (844 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 1,458 kilometres (906 mi) |
| Inclination | 88.1º |
| Period | 113.6 minutes |
ISIS 1 and 2 ("International Satellites for Ionospheric Studies") were the third and fourth in a series of Canadian satellites launched to study the ionosphere over one complete solar cycle. After the success of Canada's Alouette 1, Canada and the United States jointly sent up three more satellites in the ISIS program. The first was named Alouette 2 (after originally being named ISIS-X). As was the case for the Alouette satellites, RCA Ltd. of Montreal was the prime contractor for both ISIS 1 and 2.[1]
A third satellite, ISIS 3, was scheduled for construction, but when the government's focus shifted towards communications satellites, it was cancelled in 1969. The funds were instead used to produce the Communications Technology Satellite (also known as Hermes), which was launched in 1976.[2]