 | Ariel 4
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Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere. Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, United Kingdom. Ionospheric studies; returned X-ray, ionospheric, cosmic ray data. Typical orbit: 422 x 780 km, 54.3 deg inclinaton.
Ariel Chronology - 1962 April 26 - Ariel 1 - Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC17A. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 60 kg (132 lb). Perigee: 398 km (247 mi). Apogee: 1,203 km (747 mi). Inclination: 53.80 deg. Period: 100.80 min.
Ionospheric studies; returned X-ray, ionospheric, cosmic ray data. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).
- 1964 March 27 - Ariel 2 - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: LA3. Launch Vehicle: Scout. Mass: 68 kg (149 lb). Perigee: 287 km (178 mi). Apogee: 1,349 km (838 mi). Inclination: 51.70 deg. Period: 101.30 min.
Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).
- 1967 May 5 - Ariel 3 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC5. Launch Vehicle: Scout. Mass: 90 kg (198 lb). Perigee: 499 km (310 mi). Apogee: 604 km (375 mi). Inclination: 80.60 deg. Period: 95.60 min.
Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).
- 1971 December 11 - Ariel 4 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC5. Launch Vehicle: Scout. Mass: 100 kg (220 lb). Perigee: 476 km (295 mi). Apogee: 592 km (367 mi). Inclination: 82.00 deg. Period: 95.30 min.
Ionospheric studies. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).
- 1974 October 15 - Ariel 5 - Launch Site: San Marco. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Scout. Mass: 129 kg (284 lb). Perigee: 504 km (313 mi). Apogee: 549 km (341 mi). Inclination: 2.90 deg. Period: 94.90 min.
X-ray observatory. Cosmic X-ray astronomy. Injection point: 2.7S, 58.2E. Anticipated life: 5 years. Time of launch: 07:47:00.25 GMT. Decay also (belatedly) noted in ST/SG/SER.E/216.
- 1979 June 2 - Ariel 6 - Launch Site: Wallops Island. Launch Complex: LA3A. Launch Vehicle: Scout. Mass: 154 kg (339 lb). Perigee: 372 km (231 mi). Apogee: 383 km (237 mi). Inclination: 55.00 deg. Period: 92.10 min.
Detection of heavy cosmic particles and X-ray astronomy. Launch time 2326 GMT. Also registered by the United States in ST/SG/SER.E/26, with parameters 97.2 min, 601 x 653 km x 55.0 deg, category A.
Bibliography:- McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page (launch records), Harvard University, 1997-present. Web Address when accessed: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
- JPL Mission and Spacecraft Library, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1997. Web Address when accessed: http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/home.html.
- McDowell, Jonathan, Launch Log, October 1998. Web Address when accessed: http://hea-www.harvard.edu/~jcm/space/log/launch.html.
- NASA Report, Ariel I, the first international satellite. Experimental results, Web Address when accessed: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19670007185_1967007185.pdf.
- NASA Report, Ariel II Engineering Data Analysis Final Report, Web Address when accessed: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19660014461_1966014461.pdf.
- NASA Report, Ariel II Engineering Data Analysis, Phase I, Volume I, Web Address when accessed: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19660015206_1966015206.pdf.
- NASA Report, Ariel II Engineering Data Analysis, Phase I Volume II, Web Address when accessed: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19660015197_1966015197.pdf.
- NASA Report, Ariel II Engineering Data Analysis, Phase II, Web Address when accessed: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19660015215_1966015215.pdf.
- NASA Report, Achieving Ariel II design compatibility, Web Address when accessed: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19660014240_1966014240.pdf.
- NASA Report, Solar Array Regulations of Explorer Satellites XII, XIV, XV, XVIII, XXI, XXVI, XXVIII, and Ariel I, Web Address when accessed: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19670020697_1967020697.pdf.
- NASA Report, Environmental Test Program for Ariel I, Web Address when accessed: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19640005306_1964005306.pdf.
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© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2008 except where otherwise noted.
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