Small Astronomy Satellite 2

Small Astronomy Satellite 2
Artist's impression of SAS-2
Mission typeEarth science
OperatorNASA
COSPAR ID1972-091A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.6282
Mission duration6 months and 24 days
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass166.0 kilograms (366.0 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date15 November 1972 (1972-11-15)[1]
RocketScout D-1
Launch siteSan Marco
End of mission
Last contactJune 8, 1973 (1973-06-09)
Decay date16 April 1979[1]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Eccentricity0.01366
Perigee altitude443 kilometers (275 mi)
Apogee altitude632 kilometers (393 mi)
Inclination1.9 degrees
Period95.40 minutes
Epoch15 November 1972, 22:13:00 UTC

The Small Astronomy Satellite 2, also known also as SAS-2, SAS B or Explorer 48, was a NASA gamma ray telescope. It was launched on 15 November 1972 into the low Earth orbit with a periapsis of 443 km and an apoapsis of 632 km. It completed its observations on 8 June 1973.[2][3]

  1. ^ a b "Technical details for satellite EXPLORER 48 (SAS 2)".
  2. ^ "NASA - NSSD - Spacecraft - Trajectory Details (SAS-B)". NASA. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
  3. ^ "NASA - NSSDC - Spacecraft - Details (SAS-B)". NASA. Retrieved 2008-02-27.