Prospero X-3
Encyclopedia
The Prospero satellite
, also known as X-3, is a satellite launched by the United Kingdom
in 1971. It was designed to undertake a series of experiments studying the effects of the space environment. It is the only United Kingdom
satellite to be successfully launched by a UK rocket
; it was launched in October 1971, remained operational until 1973, and was contacted annually for over a quarter century after that. However, it was not the first satellite launched by the UK; that honour belongs to Ariel 1
, which was launched in April 1962.
Prospero has the COSPAR
(NSSC ID) designation 1971-093A, and the US Space Command
satellite catalogue number 05580.
in Farnborough; it was initially called Puck
, and was designed to conduct experiments to test solar cell
s and detect micrometeorites. When the Ministry of Defence
canceled the Black Arrow
programme, the Prospero team decided to continue their mission, but renamed the satellite Prospero
when it was announced it would be the last launch attempt using a British rocket.
It was launched at 04:09 GMT on 28 October 1971, from Launch Area 5B
(LA-5B) at Woomera, South Australia
on a Black Arrow
rocket, making Britain the sixth nation to place a satellite into orbit using a domestically developed carrier rocket. A previous launch attempt, of another Black Arrow, with the Orba X-2
satellite, failed to achieve orbit after a premature second stage shut down.
A tape recorder
is on board, which failed on 24 May 1973 after 730 plays.
As of 2006, radio transmissions from Prospero could still be heard on 137.560 MHz, although it had officially been deactivated in 1996, when the UK's Defence Research Establishment decommissioned their satellite tracking station at Lasham
, Hampshire
. It is in a low Earth orbit
, and is not expected to decay for about 100 years.
In September 2011, a team at University College London's Mullard Space Science Laboratory
went public with plans to try to re-establish communications with Prospero in time for the satellite's 40th anniversary.
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....
, also known as X-3, is a satellite launched by the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1971. It was designed to undertake a series of experiments studying the effects of the space environment. It is the only United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
satellite to be successfully launched by a UK rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
; it was launched in October 1971, remained operational until 1973, and was contacted annually for over a quarter century after that. However, it was not the first satellite launched by the UK; that honour belongs to Ariel 1
Ariel 1
Ariel 1, also known as UK-1 and S-55, was the first British satellite, and the first satellite in the Ariel programme. Its launch in 1962 made the United Kingdom the third country to operate a satellite, after the Soviet Union and the USA...
, which was launched in April 1962.
Prospero has the COSPAR
COSPAR
The Committee on Space Research was established by the International Council for Science in 1958.Among COSPAR's objectives are the promotion of scientific research in space on an international level, with emphasis on the free exchange of results, information, and opinions, and providing a forum,...
(NSSC ID) designation 1971-093A, and the US Space Command
United States Space Command
The United States Space Command was a Unified Combatant Command of the United States Department of Defense, created in 1985 to help institutionalize the use of outer space by the United States Armed Forces. The Commander in Chief of U.S...
satellite catalogue number 05580.
History
The satellite was built by the Royal Aircraft EstablishmentRoyal Aircraft Establishment
The Royal Aircraft Establishment , was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence , before finally losing its identity in mergers with other institutions.The first site was at Farnborough...
in Farnborough; it was initially called Puck
Puck (Shakespeare)
Puck, also known as Robin Goodfellow, is a character in William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream that was based on the ancient figure in English mythology, also called Puck. Puck is a clever and mischievous elf and personifies the trickster or the wise knave...
, and was designed to conduct experiments to test 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 and detect micrometeorites. When the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
canceled the Black Arrow
Black Arrow
Black Arrow, officially capitalised BLACK ARROW, was a British satellite carrier rocket. Developed during the 1960s, it was used for four launches between 1969 and 1971...
programme, the Prospero team decided to continue their mission, but renamed the satellite Prospero
Prospero
Prospero is the protagonist in The Tempest, a play by William Shakespeare.- The Tempest :Prospero is the rightful Duke of Milan, who was put to sea on "a rotten carcass of a butt [boat]" to die by his usurping brother, Antonio, twelve years before the play begins. Prospero and Miranda survived,...
when it was announced it would be the last launch attempt using a British rocket.
It was launched at 04:09 GMT on 28 October 1971, from Launch Area 5B
Woomera Launch Area 5
Launch Area 5 at the Woomera Prohibited Area was a rocket launch site which supported a number of British experimental launches, including Britain's first, and as of 2011 only, satellite launch. It consisted of three separate launch pads, which supported 22 Black Knight sounding rocket launches,...
(LA-5B) at Woomera, South Australia
Woomera, South Australia
The town, or village, of Woomera is located in the south east corner of the Woomera Prohibited Area ; colloquially known as the Woomera Rocket Range...
on a Black Arrow
Black Arrow
Black Arrow, officially capitalised BLACK ARROW, was a British satellite carrier rocket. Developed during the 1960s, it was used for four launches between 1969 and 1971...
rocket, making Britain the sixth nation to place a satellite into orbit using a domestically developed carrier rocket. A previous launch attempt, of another Black Arrow, with the Orba X-2
Orba X-2
Orba, also known as X-2, was intended to be the first satellite launched by a British rocket. It was launched at 00:34 GMT on 2 September 1970, atop a Black Arrow rocket from Launch Area 5B at Woomera, but failed to reach orbit after the second stage of the carrier rocket shut down 13 seconds early...
satellite, failed to achieve orbit after a premature second stage shut down.
A tape recorder
Tape recorder
An audio tape recorder, tape deck, reel-to-reel tape deck, cassette deck or tape machine is an audio storage device that records and plays back sounds, including articulated voices, usually using magnetic tape, either wound on a reel or in a cassette, for storage...
is on board, which failed on 24 May 1973 after 730 plays.
As of 2006, radio transmissions from Prospero could still be heard on 137.560 MHz, although it had officially been deactivated in 1996, when the UK's Defence Research Establishment decommissioned their satellite tracking station at Lasham
Lasham
Lasham is a small village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is northwest of Alton, just off the A339 road. The nearest railway station is Alton, southeast of the village....
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. It is in a low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
, and is not expected to decay for about 100 years.
In September 2011, a team at University College London's Mullard Space Science Laboratory
Mullard Space Science Laboratory
The UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory is the United Kingdom's largest university space research group. MSSL is the Department of Space and Climate Physics of the University College London. UCL was one of the first universities in the world to conduct space research...
went public with plans to try to re-establish communications with Prospero in time for the satellite's 40th anniversary.
External links
- Black Arrow from "Woomera on the Web"
- Prospero from Encyclopedia Astronautica
- Prospero in the Global Frequency Database