 | RAE
Credit - NASA
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Other Designations: Radio Astronomy Explorer. Class: Astronomy. Type: Radio. Destination: Medium Earth Orbit. Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. The Radio Astronomy Explorer investigated low frequency (long wave-length) radio emissions from the sun and its planets as well as galactic and extragalactic sources. The spacecraft had a mass of about 190 kg. It was equipped with a dipole antenna (36 m from tip to tip) and two V-shaped antennas. These antennas consist of four 230 m long elements which form a large "X" with the spacecraft in the centre. The V-shaped antennas provided gravity gradient stabilization. The RAE program, as planned, called for a series of four spacecraft with the first scheduled for launch in early 1968. Two missions (RAE-A and B) were approved and payloads for them were selected. Missions RAE-C, and D were not approved. RAE-A and B were intended for a circular orbit with an altitude of 5800 km. Inclination of the orbit to the equator was 58 degrees retrograde and the orbital period was 3.83 hours.
Typical orbit: 5835 km x 5861 km at 121 degrees inclination. Span: 4.60 m (15.00 ft). Mass: 190 kg (410 lb).
RAE Chronology - 1968 July 4 - Explorer 38 - Program: Explorer. Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC2E. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 190 kg (410 lb). Perigee: 5,835 km (3,625 mi). Apogee: 5,861 km (3,641 mi). Inclination: 120.90 deg. Period: 224.30 min.
Radio Astronomy Explorer; Earth, solar, cosmic radio emission data. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).
- 1973 June 10 - Explorer 49 - Program: Explorer. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: LC17B. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 328 kg (723 lb).
Radio Astronomy Explorer; measured galactic, stellar radio noise. Lunar Orbit (Selenocentric). Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).
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.
- Aerospace Yearbook, 1966,
- NASA Report, Integration plan for the Radio Astronomy Explorer /RAE/ spacecraft, Web Address when accessed: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19670024524_1967024524.pdf.
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© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2008 except where otherwise noted.
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