San Marco 1
Encyclopedia
San Marco 1, also known as San Marco A, was the first Italian
satellite
, and one of the earliest non-Soviet
/US
spacecraft. Built in-house by the Italian Space Research Commission on behalf of the National Research Council
, it was the first of five as part of the Italian-US San Marco programme
.
The name of the spacecraft series comes from the San Marco platform, a Jackup barge used as an offshore launch pad for the main phase of the project. San Marco (Saint Mark) is the patron saint
of Venice
, often depicted as aiding Venetian sailors.
, approved a plan for the development of an indigenous satellite research programme that had earlier been proposed by the CRS. At the time only the Soviet Union and the United States had launched spacecraft into orbit and Italy lacked a suitable launcher and crews trained in firing orbital rockets. As a result a cooperative plan was developed with the American space agency NASA
who would provide the rockets and the launch crew training for Italians to operate them.
The spacecraft was built by members of the CRS, a group of distinguished Italian scientists and engineers including Edoardo Amaldi
, co-founder of major European scientific organisations including CERN
and ESRO
.
The mission was principally a test-flight of a real satellite to gain experience before launches from Italy's own San Marco platform began, the last of 3 phases of the project.
(upper-atmosphere) research. As a test satellite San Marco 1 contained relatively few experiments;
, Virginia, US. Launched on December 15, 1964 at 20:24:00 UTC the satellite destructively re-entered the atmosphere on September 13, 1965.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
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....
, and one of the earliest non-Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
/US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
spacecraft. Built in-house by the Italian Space Research Commission on behalf of the National Research Council
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
The Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche or National Research Council, is an Italian public organization set up to support scientific and technological research. Its headquarters are in Rome.-History:The institution was founded in 1923...
, it was the first of five as part of the Italian-US San Marco programme
San Marco programme
The San Marco programme was an Italian-US satellite launch programme conducted between the early 1960s and the late 1980s. The project resulted in the launch of the first Italian-built satellite, San Marco 1, on December 15, 1964. With this launch Italy became the third country in the world to...
.
The name of the spacecraft series comes from the San Marco platform, a Jackup barge used as an offshore launch pad for the main phase of the project. San Marco (Saint Mark) is the patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, often depicted as aiding Venetian sailors.
Development
In 1961 the Italian government, led by Amintore FanfaniAmintore Fanfani
Amintore Fanfani was an Italian career politician and the 33rd man to serve the office of Prime Minister of the State. He was one of the well-known Italian politicians after the Second World War, and a historical figure of the Christian Democracy .Fanfani and Giovanni Giolitti are still actually...
, approved a plan for the development of an indigenous satellite research programme that had earlier been proposed by the CRS. At the time only the Soviet Union and the United States had launched spacecraft into orbit and Italy lacked a suitable launcher and crews trained in firing orbital rockets. As a result a cooperative plan was developed with the American space agency NASA
NASA
The 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...
who would provide the rockets and the launch crew training for Italians to operate them.
The spacecraft was built by members of the CRS, a group of distinguished Italian scientists and engineers including Edoardo Amaldi
Edoardo Amaldi
Edoardo Amaldi was an Italian physicist.He was born in Carpaneto Piacentino, son of Ugo Amaldi, professor of mathematics at the University of Padua, and Luisa Basini....
, co-founder of major European scientific organisations including CERN
CERN
The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border...
and ESRO
ESRO
The European Space Research Organization was an international organisation founded by 10 European nations with the intention of jointly pursuing scientific research in space. It was founded in 1964...
.
The mission was principally a test-flight of a real satellite to gain experience before launches from Italy's own San Marco platform began, the last of 3 phases of the project.
Mission
The primary mission of the San Marco series was to conduct ionosphericIonosphere
The ionosphere is a part of the upper atmosphere, comprising portions of the mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere, distinguished because it is ionized by solar radiation. It plays an important part in atmospheric electricity and forms the inner edge of the magnetosphere...
(upper-atmosphere) research. As a test satellite San Marco 1 contained relatively few experiments;
- Atmosphere, an IonIonAn ion is an atom or molecule in which the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving it a net positive or negative electrical charge. The name was given by physicist Michael Faraday for the substances that allow a current to pass between electrodes in a...
probe. - Electron-content Beacon, a radio transmitterTransmitterIn electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an electronic device which, with the aid of an antenna, produces radio waves. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating...
to study ionospheric effects on long-range radio communication.
Launch
San Marco 1 was launched by an Italian crew using an American Scout rocket from Wallops Flight FacilityWallops Flight Facility
Wallops Flight Facility , located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, is operated by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, primarily as a rocket launch site to support science and exploration missions for NASA and other U.S. government agencies...
, Virginia, US. Launched on December 15, 1964 at 20:24:00 UTC the satellite destructively re-entered the atmosphere on September 13, 1965.
See also
- San Marco programmeSan Marco programmeThe San Marco programme was an Italian-US satellite launch programme conducted between the early 1960s and the late 1980s. The project resulted in the launch of the first Italian-built satellite, San Marco 1, on December 15, 1964. With this launch Italy became the third country in the world to...
- Italian National Research CouncilConsiglio Nazionale delle RicercheThe Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche or National Research Council, is an Italian public organization set up to support scientific and technological research. Its headquarters are in Rome.-History:The institution was founded in 1923...
- Scout rocket
- Wallops Flight FacilityWallops Flight FacilityWallops Flight Facility , located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, is operated by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, primarily as a rocket launch site to support science and exploration missions for NASA and other U.S. government agencies...
- Broglio Space Centre - formerly San Marco Equatorial Range