Names | IE-A Ionospheric Explorer-A NASA S-48 TOPSI Topside Explorer |
---|---|
Mission type | Ionospheric research |
Operator | NASA |
COSPAR ID | 1964-051A |
SATCAT no. | 00870 |
Mission duration | 12 months (planned) 16 months (achieved) |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft | Explorer XX |
Spacecraft type | Ionospheric Explorer |
Bus | IE |
Manufacturer | Cutler-Hammer |
Launch mass | 44.5 kg (98 lb) |
Power | Solar cells and batteries |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 25 August 1964, 13:43 GMT |
Rocket | Scout X-4 (S-134R) |
Launch site | Vandenberg, SLC-5[1][2] |
Contractor | Vought |
Entered service | 25 August 1964 |
End of mission | |
Last contact | 20 December 1965 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
Regime | Low Earth orbit |
Perigee altitude | 864 km (537 mi) |
Apogee altitude | 1,025 km (637 mi) |
Inclination | 79.90° |
Period | 104.00 minutes |
Instruments | |
Cosmic Noise Fixed-Frequency Ionosonde Spherical Ion-Mass Spectrometer | |
Explorer program |
Explorer 20, also known Ionosphere Explorer-A, IE-A, S-48, TOPSI and Topside Explorer, was a NASA satellite launched as part of Explorer program. Its purpose was two-fold: long-term investigation of the ionosphere from above, and in situ investigation of ion concentrations and temperatures.