Ariel 4

Ariel 4

Ariel 4.
Mission type Ionospheric
Operator SERC / NASA
COSPAR ID 1971-109A
SATCAT № 5675
Mission duration 1 year (design life)
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer BAC
Launch mass 99.5 kilograms (219 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date 11 December 1971, 20:47:01 (1971-12-11UTC20:47:01Z) UTC
Rocket Scout B-1-F S183C
Launch site Vandenberg SLC-5
Contractor NASA
End of mission
Decay date 12 December 1978
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Eccentricity 0.00795
Perigee 473 kilometres (294 mi)
Apogee 590 kilometres (370 mi)
Inclination 82.9 degrees
Period 95.26 minutes
Epoch 10 January 1972[1]

Ariel 4, also known as UK 4, was a British ionospheric research satellite, which was operated by the Science and Engineering Research Council. It was built by the British Aircraft Corporation,[2] and had a mass at launch of 100 kilograms (220 lb).[3] It was launched in 1971, aboard an American rocket.

The launch of Ariel 4 occurred at 20:47:01 GMT on 11 December 1971, from Space Launch Complex 5 at the Vandenberg Air Force Base. It was conducted by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration, using a Scout B-1 rocket.[4] Ariel 4 was placed into a Low Earth orbit, with a perigee of 473 kilometres (294 mi), an apogee of 590 kilometres (370 mi), 82.9 degrees of inclination and an orbital period of 95.3 minutes as of 10 January 1972. It decayed from orbit on 12 December 1978.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  2. ↑ "World Civil Satellites 1957-2006". Space Security Index. Retrieved 2009-09-08.
  3. ↑ Krebs, Gunter. "Ariel 3, 4". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-09-08.
  4. ↑ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-09-08.
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