Esro-i Press Kit

8/7/2019 Esro-i Press Kit

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NEWS NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINiSTRATION TES WO 2-4155WASHINGTON,DC, 20546 TELS 'NO 3-6925FOR RELEASE: WEDNESDAY P.M.September 25, 1968

RELEASE NO: 68-158

p1\ PROJECT: ESRO-IR F contents

GENERAL RELEASE-----------------------------------------1-5MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING--------------------------6-8ESRO-I KXPERIMENTS--------------------------------------9-11ESRO-I FACT SHEET---------------------------------------12-13LAUNCH VEHICLE------------------------------------------14ESRO PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS-------------------------------15-16

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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AN D SPACE ADMINISTRATION TELS WO 2-4155NEWS WASHINGTON,D.C. 20546 WO 3-6925FOR RELEASE: WEDNESDAY P.M.September 25, 1968

RELEASE NO: 68-158

ESRO-I LAUNCH SCHEDULED

A satellite designed and built in Europe will belaunched Oct. 2, 19b8, to study the aurora borealis (NorthernLights) and other related phenomena of the Polar Ionosphere.

Desi.gnated ESRO-I, the satellite will be launched ina cooperative program between the 10-nation European SpaceResearch Organization (ESRO) and the U. S. National Aero-nautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Under an agreement signed in 1964, the 185-poundsatellite will be launched by NASA aboard a four-stage Scoutlaunch vehicle from the Western Test Range in Lompoc, Calif.

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ESRO-I will be placed into a near-polar orbit withan apogee of 1,500 kilometers (about 932 statute miles)and a perigee of 275 kilometers (about 171 statute miles).Planned orbital period is 103 minutes and the orbit willbe inclined 94 degrees retrograde to the Equator.

The eight experiments aboard the ESRO-I satellite aredesigned to make integrated measurements of the energies andpitch angles of particles impinging on the Polar Ionospherein both magnetic storms and quiet periods. The effects ofthis activity to be measured include the production of visiblelight during auroral events and changes in the electron andion density and temperature distributions.

The low perigee of the satellite will enable the verticaldistribution of the measured particles to be determined. Inaddition, special high-speed transmissions from the satelliteover the European auroral zone to a ground station at Trom3o,Norway, will permit the fine structure of the aurora to beexamined.

Measurements by the ESRO-I will be concentrated overnorthern Europe. This will enable good correlation betweenground based observations and other measurements made simul-taneously with sounding rockets launched from the ESRO rangeat Kiruna, Sweden.

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-3-After injection into Earth orbit, ESRO-I will be

spin-stabilized at about one revolution-per-minute forapproximately 10 days. It will then be despun and allowedto lock onto the Earth's magnetic field for stabilizationby means of a pair of strong magnets inside the satellite.Slender magnetic rods inside the craft will help minimizesatellite oscillations.

This will be the third ESRO satellite to be launched.ESRO-IIA, which carried experiments to measure solar aidcosmic radiation, was launched May 29, 1967, from the WesternTest FU-ige, The Scout launch vehicle failed during third-stage firing when the motor casing burned through and thespacecraft fell in the South Pacific.

ESRO-IIB, also equipped with solar and cosmic radiationexperiments, was launched successfully from the Western TestRange May 17, 1968. A Scout placed the spacecraft into aretrograde orbit inclined 97 degrees to the Equator and rang-ing in altitude from 204 to 674 miles. ESRO-II circles theglobe once every 99 minutes.

Prime contractor for construction of the ESRO-I is theLaboratoire Central de Telecommunications; Paris, under thetechnical direction of the European Space Technology CenterXESTEC), Noordwijk, The Netherlands.

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The eight experiments carried by the ESRO-I wereprovided by the Radio and Space Research Station, Slough,U. K.; Kiruna Observatory, Sweden; Bergen Univernity, Norway;the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment, Kjeller, Norway;the Norwegian Institute of Cosmic Physics, Oslo; and tleUniversity College, London.

Some of the Scandinavian experiments were produced inconjunction with the Technical University of Denmark inLyngby, Denmark.

ESRO and NASA will exchange all scientific informationresulting from this cooperative project and will make the

results available to the world scientific community.

The 10-nation members of ESRO areBelgium, Denmark,France, Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, the Netherlands,Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, withheadquarters in Paris. Professor Hermann Bondi is theDirector General.

Primary control of the ESRO-I satellite will bemaintained at the European Space Operation Centre's (ESOC)control center in Darmstadt, Germany.

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ESRO-I will be tracked and interrogated by theEuropean Satellite Tracking, Telemetry and TelecommandNetwork (ESTRACK). Tracking assistance will be providedby the French network under the direction of Centre Nationald'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). NASA's world-wide Space Trackingand DATA Acquisition Network (STADAN) will provide backupservices.

NASA participation in the ESRO program is directedby the Office of Space Science and Applications, in coopera-tion with the Office of International Affairs. NASA'sGoddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Mcd., supervisesNASA's activities, provides technical assistance, trainsESRO technicians, and, for an interim period, tracks andacquires the data from the spacecraft.

NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Western Test Range, willprovide prelaunch support and NASA's Langley Research venter,Hampton, Va., in responsible for the four-stage Scout launchrocket. The scout rocket is produced by Ling-Temco-Vought,Inc., Dallas.

(END OF GENERAL RELE;ASE: BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOLLOWS)

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-6-MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THEEUROPEAN SPACE RESEARCH ORGANIZATION

AND THEUNITED STATES NATIONAL AERONAUTICS ANDSPACE ADMINISTRATION

The European Space Research Organization (ESRO) and theUnited States National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA) affirm a mutual desire to undertake a cooperative pro-gram of space research by means of satellites. The objectivesare to (a) perform an integrated study of the polar ionospherewith particular emphasis on auroral events and (b) measuresolar and cosmic radiation.

It is planned to accomplish this cooperative programthrough preparation, launching, and use of two satelliteswhich are scheduled tentatively for launching in 1967.a. The polar ionosphere satellite, to be known asESRO I, will contain experiments to perform anintegrated study of high latitude particles andtheir effects on the polar ionosphere, includingoptical, heating, ionization, and large scaledynamic effects involving currents and magneticperturbations. It will also include a beacon

experiment for measurements of the total electroncontent between the satellite and ground observers.A near-polar eccentric orbit within the capabilityof th e present Scout launch vehicle is planned forESRO I.b. The solar astronomy and cosmic ray satellite, to beknown as E.SRO II, will contain experiments to measuresolar and cosmic radiation including X-rays, He IIline, Lyman Alpha, trapped radiation, solar and highenergy electrons. A near-polar eccentric orbit with-in the capability of the present Scout launch vehicle

is planned for ESRO II.It is understood that this program is experimental incharacter and therefore subject to change in accordance withaltered technical requirements and opportunities.ESRO will be responsible for the following:a. Providing the experiment instrumentation.b. Designing, constructing, testing, and delivering tothe launch site two flight qualified spacecraft foreach mission.

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-7-c. Supplying spacecraft gro\lnd checkout and launchsupport equipment.d. Providing such tracking and data acquisition supportas may be within the capability of the projectedESRO network.e. Reducing and analyzing the data.f. Supporting such trainees as may be assigned pursuantto 5(a) below.NASA will be responsible for the following:a. Making available project-related training forperiods providing mutual benefits within the limits

ot' resources in facilities.b. Reviewing the acceptance tests of satellite flightunits and the results of these tests. Final deter-

mination of the suitability of flight units forlaunching will be by joint ESRO/NASA decision.a. Providing the Scout launch vehicles, includingheat shields and spacecraft tie-down and sep-

aration mechanisms, required for launching thetwo satellites.d. Conducting the launch operations, including track-ing to the point where an initial orbit is estab-lished.e. Supplying necessary additional tracking and data

acquisition support, with reimbursement by ESROof any incremental costs such as those occasionedby special equipment and data tapes.ESRO and NASA will each bear the cost of discharging itsrespective responsibilities including the costs of travel bypersonnel and transportation charges on all equipment for whichit is responsible.It is intended that this project proceed by muvtualagreement between ESRO and NASA. The responsibility for

accomplishing this will rest with project managers to benamed by ESRO and NASA. Assisted by a Joint Working Groupwith appropriate membership, the ESRO and NASA project mana-gers will coordinate the agreed functions and responsibilitiesof each agency with the other.

ESRO and NASA will use their best efforts to arrange forfree customs clearance of equipment required in the progrdm.

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-8-ESRO and NASA will exchange all scientific informationresulting from this cooperative program and make the resultsfreely available to the world scientific community.

(8 ) Pierre Auger _(s) Hugh L. DrydenFor the European Space Research For the National AeronauticsOrganization and Space AdministrationJuly 8, 1964

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-w9-ESRO-I EXPERIMENTS

Particle Measuring ExperimentsScirntiliator and Pulse Height Analyzer (S-71-A)

Robert Dalziel of the Radio and Space Research Station,Slough, U.K., Principal Investigator.ThIs experiment will measure electron flux and energyspectra in the range of 40-400 tnousand electron volts. Precip-itated electrons are observed by one detector which points

approximately in the direction of the Earth's magnetic fieldwhile trapped electrons are examined by a second detectorpointing perpendicularly to the magnetiu field.Plastic Scintillator Low-Energy Proton Experiment (S-71-E)

Mr. Robert Dalziel, Radio and Space Reearch Station,Slough, U.K., Principal Thnvestigator.Major objective of this axperiment is to measureenergy spectra of protons Jueing polar-cap absorption events.The energy range to be covered is 5 to 30 million electronvolts.

Electrostatic Analyzer (S-71Dr. W. Riedl~er of the Kiruna Geophysical Observatory,Sweden, Principal Investigator.The purpose of this experiment is to measv're the

number of electrons and Drotons at four different energies,as well as their pitchangle distribution in three directions.The energies to be measured are 1.25, 2.5 and 16 thousandelectron volts for electrons, and 1.25 and 8 thousand electronvolts for protons.The dynamic range of this instrument makes it possible toobtain results both for strong auroras and for low ionosphericactivity.Measurements by this experiment will be made principallyover a readout station at Tromso, Norway.

Solid-State Detectors (S-71-C)F. Sorass, University of Bergen, Norway, PrincipalInvestigator.This experiment consists of three so.id-state detectorsfor measuring energy spectra of auroral protons in the rangeof 100,000 electron volts to six million electron volts.

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Geiger-Muller Counters (S-71D)G. H. Skovli of the Norwegian Defense ResearchEstablishment, Kjeller, Norway, Principal Investigator.This experiment consists of four counters, placed onthe satellite looking outwards at various angles to obtaininformation about the angular distribution of protons andelectrons.The detectors will measure integral particle fluxes ofprotons with energies less than 0.5 million electron voltsand of electrons less than 40,000 electron volts.

Aurcral PhotometryAuroral Photometer (S-32)

Dr. A. Egeland, Norwegian Institute of Cosmic Physics,Oslo, Principal Investigator.This experiment will consist of two photometers whichwill look downwards from the satellite along the magneticline of force over the northern hemisphere. They will measurethe absolute luminosity of the aurora (total input energy)

at two different auroral lines (4278 and 4861 angstroms).The two lines will be measured to compare changes influx and energy of aurora! particles directly with variationsin auroral luminosity.

Electron and Ion ProbesPositive Ion Composition and Temperatura (S-45)

Dr. A. P. Willmore, University College, London, PrincipalInvesti.gator.The collection of information for a study of thecomposition and temperature of positive ions in the ionosphere4s the scientific objective of this experiment. Observationswith this instrument, taken together with those of the ElectronTemperature and Density Probe, can provide a comprehensivedescription of the temperature distribution and compositionof the Laugh atmosphLere.This experiment consists of an ion probe carried on aboom extending about 22 inches from the top of the satellite.

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EXPERIMENT S-45( /

EXPERIMENT S-71-D SENSOR I EXPERIMENT 5-71 D SENSOR 3EXPERIMENT S-71-B SENSOR 2

EXPERIMENT S-71-E -X I-EXPERIMENT S-71-D SENSOR 2

TRANSMITTER LOW POWER-TRANSMITTEP HIGH POWFR EXPERIMENT S-44 SENSOR I

YO-YO SYSTEM

EXPERIMENT ~--44SENSOR 2

EXPERIMENT S-71-D SENSOR 4COMMAND RECEIVER

ESRO-1 SPACECRAFT CONFIGURATION


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EXPERIMENT S-45

ANTENNAS

EXPERIMENT S-71-A SENSOR 4 \...EXPERIMENT S-71-A SENSOR 3EXPERIMENT S-71 -B SENSOR 2 EXP- IMEN T S-71 -CEXPERIMENT S-71-A SENSOR 2

EXPERIMENT S-71-A SEN'SOR 1

EXPERIMENT S-44 SLNSOR 2

EXPERIMENT S-44SENSOR I

EXPERIMENT S-32 SENSOR 1

ESROl SPACECRAFT CONFIGURATION


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Electron Temperature and Density Probe (S-44)Dr. A. P. Willmore, University College, London,

Principal Investigator.The objective of this experiment is to make a globalsurvey of electron density and temperature. These measure-ments can be related to the distribution of atmospherictemperature and will lead to an improved understanding ofchanges in height of the ionosphere layers at times of mag-netic disturbance.The measuring instruments are two plasma probes, eachmounted on a separate 39-inch boom projecting from the space-craft bottom perpendicular to the Satellite spin axis. One

probe is parallel to the spin axis, the other is perpendicularto the spin axis.

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-12.-ESRO-I FACT SHEET

Launch Window: 15-minute window opens at 4:48 p.m.EDT, Oct. 2, changes slightly fromday to day.

Launch Site: Western Test Range, California,Pad SLC-5.Launch Vehicle: Four-stage solid fuel Scout S-167 .Orbit: Apogee: 1500 km (about 932stat. miles).

Perigee: 275 kn (about 171 stat.miles).Period: 103 minutes.Inclination: 94 degrees retrograde(near polar).Orbit life: Six montGhs.

Stabilizationi Spacecraft is spin stabilized about148 mrp initially. Despun to onerpm by yo-yo mechanism and furtherdespun by magnetic system which inter-acts with Earth's magnetic field.Stabilization thereafter will be pro-vided by a passive system consistingof two permanent magnets.

Spacecraft: flight: 84 kg. (about 185 pounds)Structure: Cylindrical body withtruncated cones at each end. Over-all height is 153 cm. (about 60 inches)and diameter is 76 cm. (about 30 inches).Appendages: One experiment boom one-half meter (about 20 inches) long ex-tending along the spin axis from topof spacecraft.Two experiment booms each one meter(about 39 inches) long extending frombottom of spacecraft perpendicular tospin axis.Four telemetry antennas extending fromtop rim of spacecraft.Power: 7,120 solar cells mounted onspacecraft surface supply an averageof 23 watts to operate the spacecraftsystems and to keep the 16-cell, threeampere-hour unit battery charged.

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-13-Telemetry: Low-Speed Data System -Low-power transmitter with an outputof two-tenths of a watt in the 136-137 mhz frequency range for contin-uous data transmission.High-speed Data System - High-powertransmitter with an output of 1.2watts in the 136-137 mhz frequencyrange for high-speed, real-timetransmission. The system also willtransmit data stored by the space-craft's single tape recorder duringone orbit (about 100 minutes). Play-back time is three minutes.

Spacecraft Control: Primary control of the ESRO-I spacecraftis maintained at the European Space Opera-tion Centre's (ESCO) control center inDarmstadt, Germany.Tracking: The satellite will be tracked by the Redi,Belgium, station of ESRO's European Satel-lite Tracking and Telecommand Network(ESTRACK) as well as the Pretoria, SouthAfrica, and the Kourou, French Guiana, sta-tions of the French Centre National d'EtudesSpatiales (CNES). NASA's worldwide Space

Tracking and Data Acquisition Network(STADAN) will provide additional trackingsupport.Data Acquisition: Scientific and spacecraft performance datawill be acquired from ESRO-I by the follow-ing stations:

ESTRACK - Ftirbanks, Alaska; PortStanley, Falkland Islands; Redu,Belgium; and Ny-Alesund, Spitsbergen.CNES - Pretoria, South Africa; Braz-zaville, Congo; and Ouagadougou,Upper Volta.Norway - Station at Tromso, Norway.STADAN - Available stations willsupport ESRO-I. STADAN stations

at Fort Myers, Florida; and Rosman,N.C. will relay spacecraft data inreal tim3 to the Goddard Space FlightCenter, Greenbelt, Md., duringsatellite's initial week in orbit forESRO representative.

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PAYLOAD24"1 HEATSHIELD

FW~j- L SMOTORS

30"1ANTARESMOTOR

31"CASTOR

APPROX. MOTOR~72 FT

40" ALGOLMOTOR

IST 2ND 3RD 4THSTAGE STAGE STAGE STAGEALGOL CASTOR ANTARES-U1I B II X- 259 FW.4~

BurningTime (sec) 80.0 3~'.9 31.5Thr~e st (over-aq)(b) 100,944 k'077(L pi),L~ ,WEIGHT,

IOTAL (lb.) 23,750 9, 8 W(*

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LAUNCH VEHICLE

Scout is a four-stage solid fuel rocket system. ScoutS-167 and the ESRO I spacecraft will be set on an initiallaunch azimuth of 186 degrees to obtain a retrograde orbit.The four motors Algol, Castor, Antares, and FW-4S areinterlocked with transition sections that contain guidancescontrol, ignition, instrumentation system, separation mech-anics, and the spin motors needed to stabilize the fourthstage.Guidance is provided by an autopilot and control achieved

by a combination of aerodynamic surfaces, jet vanes and hydro-gen peroxide jets. The launch vehicle is approximately 72feet long and weighs about 37,000 pounds at liftoff.The Scout rocket program is managed by NASA's LangleyResearch Center, Hampton, Va.

Flight SequenceEvent Time (seconds)Liftofflet Stage Burnout 75.422nd Stage Ignition 79.322nd Stage Burnout 116.983rd Stage Ignition & Heatshield Separation 176.983rd Stage Burnout 212.88Spin-up 354 653rd & 4th Stage Separation 356.154th Stage Ignition (FW-4) 360.654th Stage Burnout and Orbital Injection 394.15S/C Separation 686.15S-44 Boom Deployed 688.15Yo-Yo Release 692.15S-45 Boom Deployea 694.15

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-15-ESRO PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS

European Space Research Organization, ParisProfessor Hermann Bondi Director GeneralJean Albert Dinkespiler Director, Plans and ProgramsMarcel dePasse Director, AdministrationProfessor Werner Kleen Director, European SpaceTechnology Center (ESTEC)Noordwijk, The NetherlandsPierre Blassel Chief, Satellites & SoundingRocket Department, ESTECDerek Mullinger ESRO-I Project Manager, ESTECErnst Trendelenburg Head, space Science DepartmentESTECDr. Rudolph Jaeschke ESRO-I Project ScientistEuropean Space ResearchLaboratory, Noordwijkerhout,The NetherlandsNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationJohn R. Holtz Program Manager,NASA HeadquartersRaymond Miller Program Engineer,NASA HeadquartersDr. Erwin R. Schmerling Program Scientist,NASA HeadquartersPaul E. Goozh Scout Program Manager,NASA HeadquartersDr. John F. Clark Director, Goddard SpaceFlight CenterHerbert L. Eaker ESRO-I Project Manager,GoddardJames P. Talentino ESRO-I Project Coordinator,GoddardD;. Leslie H. Meredith Project Scientist, GoddardRoland D. English Head, Scout Projec; Office,Langley Research Center-more-


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-16-Robert A. Schmits Scout Payload Coordinator,LangleyWilliam Hinsaw Head, Langley Mission SupportOffice, Western Test RangeHenry R. Van Goey Manager, Kennedy Space Center,ULO, Western Test Range,Operations Division

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