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The mission of 050 -the Orbiti ng Solar category include ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma
Observatory-is to gather scientific data about rays, all of which are being observed and
the sun which cannot be obtained by observa- counted by 050- 1. launched on March 7, at
tion from the earth's surface. Cape Canaveral, aboard a three-stage Thor-
The earth 's atmosphere accepts certain types Delta, the first Orbiting Solar Observatory de-
of electromagnetic radiation, including visible lighted the team responsible for it by going into
light, but screens out or distorts others. This an almost circular orbit. It then proceeded to
is fortunate for humans because it protects them circle the earth at an altitude ranging from a
from ultraviolet radiation which would cause perigee of about 340 miles to an apogee of
bad sunburns, or even kill. But it is incon- 370 miles, and to report most satisfactorily on
venient for the scientist who wants to study all the tasks assigned to it.
these radiations. Observations for his pur- 050-1 is called the first of the "streetcar"
poses have to come from the other side of the satellites because it has a series of experiment
atmosphere. apparatuses aboard as "passengers" -thirteen
Types of electromagnetic radiation in this of them.
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Page 2 NASA FACTS (8-62)
Prominences beyond the limits of the sun's surface, taken by spectroheliokinematograph (motion
pictures of the sun in monochromatic light). The white dot at right near the sun's surface,
superimposed on the photograph, represents the earth, to scale.
--~~---=-=---~~--------
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I
~~-=-=-~-~-~-~---~-----~------~---~-~---~---~-~------
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Page 4 NASA FACTS (8-62)
SEQUENCE \
\
\
EACH SATELliTE MOIIN/Kt;
SHUT OFF EACH SATEURE 1ItJIIT)
\
o \ +400 SEC.- lOCK ON SUN
\ IN AZIMUTH AND REMOVE
\
\ NUTATION
\
\
o +200 SEC.- DE-SPIN TO 30 !l.RN.
\
\
\
+/65 SEC.- 3rd STAG-E SEPARATION
\
+ /00 SEt:- ARMS OUT \
\
\
+57 SEC. - 3rtf STAGE BURNOUT
+ IS SEC.- FIRE 31'd STAGE
0)'1 0 SEC - SPIN 3,,( STMM AND SATELLffE TO 120 R.R/IIf.-START SATEUffE "ItfER
FLIGHT SEQUENCE
At launch, and during the ascent to orbital altitude, 050 ' s three arms are folded down on the Delta booster .
After separation they extend ta operating position and the satellite then adjusts to its position, and
locks on to the sun, as indicated in the step-by-step diagram, showing the sequence from thi rd stage
separation, at a seconds, to " lock on sun," at plus 800 seconds.
THE WHEEL EXPERIMENTS remains constant during active and quiet solar
(Name in parentheses indicates institution design - periods .
ing the experiment.) 8, SOLAR GAMMA RAY MONITOR (God-
dard Space Flight Center) is similar to Experi-
6. SOLAR RADIATION DETECTOR (God- ment 2, except that being in the wheel portion,
dard Space Flight Center) filters solar radiation it scans Gamma ray emission across space.
to restrict reception to the Blue Light level This experiment also has a detector which de-
(3800 to 4800 Angstroms), which is measured termines if the satellite generates its own radi-
to determine the total energy balance of the ation from contact with space particles.
sun and to learn how millions of tons of the 9. SOLAR GAMMA RAY DETECTOR (Uni-
sun's hydrogen are converted into helium with versity of Minnesota) measures rays in the
the excess transferred to the solar system in the 50,000 to 3 million electron volt ranges by use
form of heat and light. of the "Compton Telescope. "
7. SOLAR ULTRA-VIOLET MONITOR (God- 1 O. NEUTRON MONITOR (University of
dard Space Flight Center) measures the most California) measures the output of neutrons
fundamental line of the hydrogen spectrum, the from the earth's atmosphere, produced by cos-
Lyman-Alpha emission line, to determine if it mic rays striking oxygen and nitrogen nuclei.
5
Page 6 NASA FACTS (B-62)
OSO IN ORBIT
The useful life anticipated for an Orbiting Solar Observatory is 6 months. After that time its nitrogen
gas will have been used and its jets cannot operate, so it cannot point the fan towards the sun and
rotate the wheel. But successor OSOs will be launched to continue the exper iments and to make
other types of observations.
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NASA FACTS (8-62) Page 7
ORBITING ASTRONOMICAL
OBSERV ATORY
OAO
MISSIONS OF OAO
The Orbiting Astronomical Observatory is designed for a wide variety of astronomical experiments,
1 making observations of the solor system, of the stars (stellar radiations) tenuous material be-
"
tween the stars (interstellar gas) and far distant galaxies (galactic radiations) .
7
.....
Page 8 NASA FAC'FS (B-62)
r--- "
ORBITING GEOPHYSICAL
OBSERVATORIES
I OGO: EGO AND POGO
l
r......
OGO IN ORBIT
The Orbiting Geophysical Observatory uses its " sensors" to acquire the information it has been put into orb it to
collect (see below) and transmits the data to earth for study and evaluation by the scientists who ore con-
ducting the experiments.
These satellites, with the colorful short names There also are differences in the assigned
of EGO and POGO, are Orbiting Geophysical experiments.
Observatories. OGO refers to the basic de-
sign. EGO's full name is Eccentric Geophysi- For EGO, the main purpose is the study of
cal Observatory, so-called because it is intended energetic particles, and other geophysical phe-
nomena requiring the type of orbit planned
for launching into an eccentric orbit with an
for it.
apogee of about 70,000 miles from the earth
and a perigee of about 175 miles. POGO is POGO will be instrumented chiefly to study
the Polar Orbiting Geophysical Observatory, the atmosphere and ionosphere, especially over
which will have a planned apogee and perigee the North and South Poles.
of 570 and 160 miles, respectively, passing
over the poles of the earth, and giving partic- An Atlas-Agena B will be used to launch
ular attention to the unexplored regions of the EGO and insert it into orbit. POGO will be
polar atmosphere. launched for its polar orbit by a Thor-Agena B.