ESSA-1
Encyclopedia
ESSA-1 was a spin-stabilized operational meteorological satellite. ESSA-1 was launched on 3 February 1966 at 07:41 UTC. It was launched atop of a Delta rocket from Cape Canaveral
, Florida
. The spacecraft had a mass of 304 kilograms (670.2 lb) at the time of launch. ESSA-1 had an inclination of 97.91, and an orbited the earth once every 100 minutes. Its perigee was 702 kilometres (379 nmi) and apogee was 845 kilometres (456.3 nmi).
ESSA-1 had a similar design to that of the TIROS satellite
series. It was an 18-sided right prism, measuring 107 centimetres (42.1 in) across opposite corners and 56 centimetres (22 in). It had a reinforced baseplate, which carried most of the subsystems and a cover assembly (hat). ESSA-1 had approximately 10,000 1-cm by 2-cm solar cell
s, which charged 21 nickel-cadmium batteries. ESSA-1 was designed to take pictures of daytime cloud cover, record them and transmit them when it was in range of a ground acquisition station.
The satellite spin rate and attitude were determined primarily by a Magnetic Attitude Spin Coil (MASC). The MASC was a current Carrying coil mounted in the cover assembly. The magnetic field
induced by the coil interacted with that of the Earth's magnetic field, and provided the necessary torque to maintain a desired spin rate of 9.225 revolutions per minute (rpm). Five small solid-fuel thrusters
mounted on the baseplate provided a secondary means of controlling the spin rate.
ESSA-1 operated normally until 6 October 1966, when the camera system failed. The spacecraft
was fully deactivated on 8 May 1967, after being left on for an additional period of time for engineering purposes.
Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral, from the Spanish Cabo Cañaveral, is a headland in Brevard County, Florida, United States, near the center of the state's Atlantic coast. Known as Cape Kennedy from 1963 to 1973, it lies east of Merritt Island, separated from it by the Banana River.It is part of a region known as the...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The spacecraft had a mass of 304 kilograms (670.2 lb) at the time of launch. ESSA-1 had an inclination of 97.91, and an orbited the earth once every 100 minutes. Its perigee was 702 kilometres (379 nmi) and apogee was 845 kilometres (456.3 nmi).
ESSA-1 had a similar design to that of the TIROS satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
series. It was an 18-sided right prism, measuring 107 centimetres (42.1 in) across opposite corners and 56 centimetres (22 in). It had a reinforced baseplate, which carried most of the subsystems and a cover assembly (hat). ESSA-1 had approximately 10,000 1-cm by 2-cm solar cell
Solar cell
A solar cell is a solid state electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect....
s, which charged 21 nickel-cadmium batteries. ESSA-1 was designed to take pictures of daytime cloud cover, record them and transmit them when it was in range of a ground acquisition station.
The satellite spin rate and attitude were determined primarily by a Magnetic Attitude Spin Coil (MASC). The MASC was a current Carrying coil mounted in the cover assembly. The magnetic field
Magnetic field
A magnetic field is a mathematical description of the magnetic influence of electric currents and magnetic materials. The magnetic field at any given point is specified by both a direction and a magnitude ; as such it is a vector field.Technically, a magnetic field is a pseudo vector;...
induced by the coil interacted with that of the Earth's magnetic field, and provided the necessary torque to maintain a desired spin rate of 9.225 revolutions per minute (rpm). Five small solid-fuel thrusters
Rocket engine
A rocket engine, or simply "rocket", is a jet engineRocket Propulsion Elements; 7th edition- chapter 1 that uses only propellant mass for forming its high speed propulsive jet. Rocket engines are reaction engines and obtain thrust in accordance with Newton's third law...
mounted on the baseplate provided a secondary means of controlling the spin rate.
ESSA-1 operated normally until 6 October 1966, when the camera system failed. The spacecraft
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
was fully deactivated on 8 May 1967, after being left on for an additional period of time for engineering purposes.
External links
- http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=1966-008A the NSSDCNational Space Science Data CenterThe National Space Science Data Center serves as the permanent archive for NASA space science mission data. "Space science" pertains to astronomy and astrophysics, solar and space plasma physics, and planetary and lunar science...
IDInternational DesignatorThe International Designator, also known as COSPAR designation, and in the United States as NSSDC ID, is an international naming convention for satellites...
for ESSA-1 from the NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
website