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Polar
Polar
Polar
Credit: Manufacturer Image
American earth magnetosphere satellite. Polar was designed to measure the entry, energization, and transport of plasma into the magnetosphere as part of the International Solar Terrestrial Program (ISTP). Scientific satellite built by Lockheed Martin Astro for NASA, USA. Launched 1996.

Status: Operational 1996. First Launch: 1996-02-24. Last Launch: 1996-02-24. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 1,300 kg (2,800 lb). Height: 1.85 m (6.06 ft).

Polar, and its sister spacecraft Wind, were NASA's contribution to the International Solar Terrestrial Program (ISTP), an international effort to quantify the effects of solar energy on the Earth's magnetic field. The Polar mission's specific objectives were to (1) investigate energy input to the ionospheric region through the day side cusp; (2) determine the mechanisms of ionospheric plasma outflow; (3) study the characteristics of the auroral plasma acceleration regions; (4) provide global, multispectral auroral images of the footprint of magnetospheric energy disposition into the ionosphere and upper atmosphere; (5) help determine the role of the ionosphere in sun storm phenomena and the overall magnetospheric energy balance; and (6) document ions leaving the atmosphere and subsequently appearing in the solar wind, or electrons of solar wind origin precipitating to auroral altitudes.

Data from Polar would be correlated with data from ground-based scientific observatories and the other spacecraft in the ISTP program (Wind, Geotail and SOHO (the Cluster spacecraft would also have participated, but were destroyed during launch)) to better understand the physical effects of solar activity on interplanetary space and the Earth's space environment.

The spacecraft was cylindrical with body mounted solar arrays, and spin stabilized at 10 rpm. Two pairs of wire booms for the Plasma Wave Instrument (PWI) experiment protruded from the body, as well as one belt antenna and four low-gain antennas.

The payload included:

Total cost of the project was $ 238 million, and it launched 2.5 years late to original schedule.


More at: Polar.

Family: Earth, High earth orbit, Magnetosphere sat. Country: USA. Launch Vehicles: Thor, Delta, Delta 2 7000, Delta 7925-10. Launch Sites: Vandenberg, Vandenberg SLC2W. Agency: NASA, Lockheed. Bibliography: 2, 4, 6, 6785, 12964.

1996 February 24 - . 11:24 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC2W. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Delta 7925-10.

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