AEROS (satellite)

For other uses, see Aeros (disambiguation).
AEROS
AEROS satellite in orbit above Earth
AEROS Satellite
Mission typeEarth observation
OperatorBMBF and NASA
COSPAR ID
  • AEROS A: 1972-100A
  • AEROS B: 1974-055A
SATCAT no.
  • AEROS A: 6315
  • AEROS B: 7371
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass125.7 kilograms (277 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date
  • AEROS A: 16 December 1972[1]
  • AEROS B: 16 July 1974[2]
Rocket Scout
Launch siteVandenberg AFB
End of mission
Decay date
  • AEROS A: 1973-08-22 (1973-08-23)
  • AEROS B: 1975-09-25 (1975-09-26)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Eccentricity
  • AEROS A: 0.04648
  • AEROS B: 0.04776
Perigee altitude
  • AEROS A: 223 km (139 mi)
  • AEROS B: 217 km (135 mi)
Apogee altitude
  • AEROS A: 867 km (539 mi)
  • AEROS B: 879 km (546 mi)
Inclination
  • AEROS A: 96.9 degrees
  • AEROS B: 97.4 degrees
Period
  • AEROS A: 95.6 minutes
  • AEROS B: 95.7 minutes
Epoch
  • AEROS A: 15 December 1972, 19:00:00 UTC[3]
  • AEROS B: 15 July 1974, 20:00:00 UTC[4]

AEROS[5]: 12  satellites were to study the aeronomy i. e. the science of the upper atmosphere and ionosphere, in particular the F region under the strong influence of solar extreme ultraviolet radiation. To this end the spectrum of this radiation was recorded aboard by one instrument (of type Hinteregger) on the one hand and a set of 4 other instruments measuring the most important neutral uand iononized parameters at the satellite's position on the other.

AEROS was built by Ball Aerospace for a co-operative project between NASA and the Bundesministerium für Foschung und Technologie (BMwF), Federal Republic of Germany.[5]: 82 

Named for the Greek god of the air at the suggestion of the BMwF .[6]

AEROS A and B carried identical instrumentation only the instrument measuring short scale variations of the electron density didn't work on A. A third Aeros C was planned for Earth Resources studies in a 3-axis spin-stabilized configuration, to be launched by a Shuttle in 1986.[5](Needs research)

  1. ^ "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  2. ^ "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  3. ^ "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Trajectory Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  4. ^ "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Trajectory Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  5. ^ a b c Yenne, Bill (1985). The Encyclopedia of US Spacecraft. Exeter Books (A Bison Book), New York. ISBN 0-671-07580-2.
  6. ^ Helen T. Wells; Susan H. Whiteley & Carrie E. Karegeannes. Origin of NASA Names. NASA Science and Technical Information Office. p. 33.