Explorer 29

Explorer 29
Explorer 29 satellite
NamesGEOS-1
GEOS-A
Geodetic Earth Orbiting Satellite
Mission typeEarth science
OperatorNASA
COSPAR ID1965-089A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.01726
Mission duration2 years (achieved)
59 years and 19 days (in orbit)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftExplorer XXIX
ManufacturerJohns Hopkins University
Applied Physics Laboratory[1]
Launch mass387 kg (853 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date6 November 1965, 18:38:43 (1965-11-06UTC18:38:43) UTC[2]
RocketThor-Delta E (Thor 457 / Delta 034)
Launch siteCape Canaveral, LC-17B
ContractorDouglas Aircraft Company
Entered service6 November 1965
End of mission
Last contact15 January 1968
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit[3]
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Perigee altitude1,113 km (692 mi)
Apogee altitude2,275 km (1,414 mi)
Inclination59.40°
Period120.30 minutes
Instruments
Laser Tracking Reflectors
NASA Minitrack System
Optical Beacon System
Radio Doppler System
Radio Range/Rate System
SECOR Range Transponder
Explorer program

Explorer 29, also called GEOS 1 or GEOS A, acronym to Geodetic Earth Orbiting Satellite, was a NASA satellite launched as part of the Explorer program, being the first of the two satellites GEOS. Explorer 29 was launched on 6 November 1965 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with a Thor-Delta E launch vehicle.[4]

Explorer 29 was a gravity-gradient-stabilized, solar cell powered unit designed exclusively for geodetic studies. It was the first successful active spacecraft of the National Geodetic Satellite Program.[4]

  1. ^ "GEOS". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  2. ^ McDowell, Jonathan (21 July 2021). "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  3. ^ "Trajectory: Explorer 29 (GEOS 1) 1965-089A". NASA. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Display was invoked but never defined (see the help page).