Solar Maximum Mission

Solar Maximum Mission
Solar Maximum Mission.
Mission typeSolar physics
OperatorNASA
COSPAR ID1980-014A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.11703
Mission durationFinal: 9 years, 9 months, 17 days
Spacecraft properties
BusMultimission Modular Spacecraft
ManufacturerFairchild Industries
Launch mass2,315.0 kilograms (5,103.7 lb)
Dimensions4 by 2.3 metres (13.1 by 7.5 ft)
Start of mission
Launch dateFebruary 14, 1980, 15:57:00 (1980-02-14UTC15:57Z) UTC
RocketDelta 3910
Launch siteCape Canaveral LC-17A
End of mission
Decay dateDecember 2, 1989 (1989-12-03)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Eccentricity0.00029
Perigee altitude508.0 kilometers (315.7 mi)
Apogee altitude512.0 kilometers (318.1 mi)
Inclination28.5 degrees
Period94.80 minutes
Mean motion15.19
Astronaut George Nelson attempts to capture the Solar Maximum Mission satellite during STS-41-C.

The Solar Maximum Mission satellite (or SolarMax) was designed to investigate Solar phenomena, particularly solar flares. It was launched on February 14, 1980. The SMM was the first satellite based on the Multimission Modular Spacecraft bus manufactured by Fairchild Industries, a platform which was later used for Landsats 4 and 5[1] as well as the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite.

After an attitude control failure in November 1980 it was put in standby mode until April 1984 when it was repaired by a Shuttle mission.

The Solar Maximum Mission ended on December 2, 1989, when the spacecraft re-entered the atmosphere and burned up over the Indian Ocean.[2]

  1. ^ Suzuki, Masaharu (11 February 1999). "TOPEX/Poseidon – Description of Mission". University of Texas. Archived from the original on 20 November 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2013. The satellite bus was taken from the Multimission Modular Spacecraft (MMS), which has been proven on previous MMS-based missions: the Solar Maximum Mission and Landsat 4 and 5.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference hao-smm was invoked but never defined (see the help page).