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Explorer S-45A (satellite)

American ionosphere research satellite

Field	Value
name	Explorer S-45A
names_list	S-45A
NASA S-45A
image	S-45 1.jpg
image_caption	Explorer S-45A satellite before launch
image_size	300px
mission_type	Ionosphere research
operator	NASA
COSPAR_ID	EXS-451
mission_duration	Failed to orbit
spacecraft	Explorer S-45A
spacecraft_type	Science Explorer
spacecraft_bus	S-45
manufacturer	Goddard Space Flight Center
launch_mass	33.6 kg
power	Solar cells and batteries
launch_date	24 May 1961, 19:48:05 GMT
launch_rocket	Juno II (AM-19G)
launch_site	Cape Canaveral, LC-26B
launch_contractor	Army Ballistic Missile Agency
destroyed	Failed to orbit
orbit_reference	Geocentric orbit (planned)
orbit_regime	Highly elliptical orbit
orbit_periapsis	221 km
orbit_apoapsis	181100 km
orbit_inclination	33.0°
orbit_period	5013.90 minutes
apsis	gee
instruments	Beacon
programme	Explorer program
previous_mission	Explorer 11
next_mission	Explorer S-55

NASA S-45A

Explorer S-45A was a NASA satellite, which was lost in a launch failure in 1961. The satellite was intended to operate in a highly elliptical orbit, from which it was to have provided data on the shape of the ionosphere, and on the Earth's magnetic field. It was part of the Explorer program and would have been designated Explorer 12 had it reached orbit. It was the second of two identical satellites to be launched; the first, Explorer S-45, had also been lost in a launch failure, earlier in the year.

Launch

Explorer S-45A was launched aboard a Juno II launch vehicle, serial number AM-19G. It was the final flight of the Juno II. The launch took place from LC-26B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) at 19:48:05 GMT on 24 May 1961. The system which was intended to ignite the second stage malfunctioned, and as a result that stage failed to ignite. The launch vehicle failed to achieve orbit.

References

(28 October 2021). "Explorer S-45A". NASA.
Wade, Mark. "P-14". Encyclopedia Astronautica.
McDowell, Jonathan. (21 July 2021). "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page.
Krebs, Gunter. "Explorer: S-45". Gunter's Space Page.
"Explorer Program". NASA.

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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