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.10 April 1931

SWAM

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FOR: =MR CIP OREM NEIL,

b Selentitio Satellite Progress Report No. 1 On

ARTIST CtP =NW

Ii oompliaao. .L_

with pea iloorandam, 6 Ihvolt 19k,sobieets "Itethly eememrisatios of amgargesat Want. ead Progress le the Soleatifie SatolLite Program (V),' fora larevitb la %al Saleatifie SatelLite Report No. 1* for Iamb 195S.

1 Inol (2 copies) Äriq So Sat Rpt No.1 kale s. arm Colonel, OS

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Two JUPITIM-C satellite lemohing vehicles were stmusesefilly fired

during March. The first, J1WITSR4 Missile. 26, carrying WID II, was

fired'on schedule from the Atlantic Missile Test Flange on 5 March. lams*

ing mad perforswiloe of the first three stages were normal, but the fourth:

steps did not ignite. As a result, the satellite did not go into orbit.

The bay we therefore directed to fire a third JUPITIMir-C satellite

Lunching vehicle in support of the MT. JUP11121-C Missile 24 was sucossefull" launched• on sohedule on 26 March, placing INPLORIR III, the second

II. 3. km satellite, into orbit. WWI= M is orlittibg with greater

eccentricity than predicted, but its estimated life expeatanoy of four to

six months will insure fuLl acoosiplisbment of its scientific 111.1140111. In

fact, the greater onentricity of the orbit is providing vital scientific

information over a wider spectrum than would have been provided by the

predicted orbit. it. present perigee altitude is approximately 125 Iasi

and apogee altitude rns miles. The period of revolution is 136 minutes.

With two satellites in orbit, the Army has successfully ocmpletad

the first .Nlivse of its scientific satellite program as directed by the

Secretary of Defense on 8 November 1957. It is significant that, with

the exception of the two days daisy resulting from weather in launching

the first U. 8. Satellite, the three 313Prne-c satellite launching vehicles

incuired a total of only 44 minutes hold time from all causes. The first

two similes were launched 18 minutes after the pre-scheduled hour and the

third only 8 minutes Miter the pre-scheduled hour. •

Copy

Regrading data cannot

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-----01110-111.01-40.011101b4"811P--
—SECRET-- C • mussinazuguitausstauffssuma arsiuss

I. The first phase of the kers scientific satellite progron, as

directed by the Secretary at Defense on 8 November 1957, vas summer

fully completed on 26 March 1958 with the injection into orbit of

Emma in.

LONalbiNLithhan,

.11212121-C Missile 26, tarrying MUGU II, vas suocessfully

lannohed ham the Mantic Missile Test Range at 1328 hours, 5 March

1958.

Ignition,. nainstage, and initial flight were Donal. • •ibe first

stags cutoff by WI *elation 000nered at I plus 149.1 seconds. • Coast

to apex vas close to the preoalculated trajectory, and second stags

ignition *Gene at 190.5 seconds. Velocity and attitude conditions at

this tine vire apparently . eatisfaotory for tenoessful injection into

orbit. &weer, the 3L5 poled scientific satellite did not go into

orbit. • Hednotian of data since the tiaie firing bes indicated that

• third step Ignition vie easel, telt no 'velocity increase as apparent

free tie !earth .0ov ihieh•apparently did not . ipeite. As a result,

orbital veloitity Sea not • schieeid. leidisatieme are that the satellite

(fourth stage) *ravened eippricatinatebr 1,900* tiles and blains 'up on

reentry into the tiaolpheri:

le scientific nisei*. of the Erg= n iatallita wears identical

frith those far liznOlom tit *i' use

*Leh . ide vital diet
c. Detendnation of apex of the trajeotory early in the flight'

by taking a ten-rmoond meamniment after first stage cutoff and separation and mmuting.the apex by four separate methods, Sand radar, MAP,

missile borne acoillerameter, and C-bend radar. Data five the first three

are =oared with nomograms fort apex prediction. In the fourth method

the 0-band radar data is fed dirsotly into an 1311 704 oonputsr for an

apex prediction.

Wen EXPIORER II did not go into orbit, the &If was directed by

the Department of*Dsfense to fire a third JUPITER-0 missile to Wort

into orbit a scientific satellite ideation], to MOM U. This suasion

was successfully accoapliabsd on 26 Mara 1958 when awrnat4 Missile 24

injected EXPLORER III into orbit at 1245 hours Ia.

The countdown was without incident, the firing coimand being given

at 1238 hours, eight slantss after eoheduled tine. Performanos of the

propulsion stages was saseptionally good. Ignition, mainstay, and

initial flight is normal. Firststage cutoff occurred to 155.5 seconds

(as opposed to 155.7 seconds predicted) . and second stage ignition, by

conmand from an on-board timer, occurred at 396.3 seconds nairPtzed

with 396.0 seconds predicted). .

Reduction of data since the time of firing indicates that second

stage ignition efferently occurred prior to achievement of actual apem.

As a result, WINER III is estimated to be orbiting with greater

eccentricity than predicted, but its estimated life expectancy of four

to sic months will insure sore than adequate time for full s000mplishal" of all alieSUillie ant, thciirSter eccentricity of the orbit

is providing vital scientific information. tpartioUlarly with respect

to the primary oosmic rmy eMpertment) omier. .. a . wider spectrum. than would •

have been provided by the predicted orbit.. At present, perigee altitude'

is *stinted to be approsilately 1251miles'and apogee altitude 1,735

miles. The period of revolution is 114. Minutes.

III. 41011,1111.1111.12blitgal. •

Two MASER scientific. satel1Lte***now orbit. They are

ooliecting and reporting data in:.:41000.01141inVorthe. following

::scientific missions:
•

There are two basic

the two satellites, the m carried in differences in the scientitio instrumentation

ore important being in caul* ray experMU= III carri the prism corder • ( ed a minitnrised tape reFigure iment. E

2) which remoras cosmic my.

must throughout the orbit

of the

and plays back upon receipt of t coded. interrogation si Minitrack ground stations. gnal from one Biwa back and the tine required to play

 s, the

transmit the

life five second

information to the ground is only _approximatly of the high power will be materially longer than that of ICCP10182 transmitter inNOPIOng.

(*lob transmittad

gl

oont

innously); More important, infatuation on aumto ray intansity is obtained t

agents hroughout each orbit whereas 2113101611 I°omit rey'smasure- were obtainable only when the satellite of the ground stations. The was within range or one second major different)* instrumen tation payloads is the mission fres the =MISR III inpaylo

thead -

of a micz•ophone for micrometeorite density measurements.

Detailed descriptions of the two satellites follows

allatitgehtam.

ariansaLifi wit

30.80 pounds 31.00 pounds

7.50 pounds

10.83 pounds

12.67 pounds

80 inches

6 inches

see

t3hell

7.50 ponds Instrumentation 10.63 was

Final rocket (empty) 12.67 ponds

Length

80 inches

ites

High Power Transmitter

Antenna •

Power

Froquouor

Life eapectancy

Lou For Tranaitter

Antenna

Diameter 6 inches

1111111

Turnstile Dipole

50 to 60 .eilliwatts 50 to 6Q alllimatts 108:00 aegadyálioi

12 diYa 108.00 asgatviciles

. (actual) 2 months . *
•

• UPLORIR I and II masted sections has been elisdnatedin=KORN, III. Instead in-! of tbe satellite ease are aeed to form a dipole Antenna in a manner similar to that used vith_

thelu power antenna an all 

three

eatallites. Redaction of data!** eaFLORIR I has indicated that it is

probable that the turnstile antenna had sensed the satellite to process

400 its midi aide'eliest lieseRiate]v _Prelisdnary &Marron MIOMIR

III, which indicates that there vas virtually noun* preoegaion at the

satellite during its first two 

.days in orbit, appears to 'entire thit

the first satellite.

the turnstile antenna ma responsible far the inordinate preseesion Of

uorld?-vide MI &nitre* systems.

Traoldagrof=PLOMER I and III is acoanplished by AloroloOk and by
6

•

SECRET
MAGNETIC TAPE RECORDER (EXPLORER M )

•

•

•
NTERNAL

TEMP

6AUCE

EXTERNAL TEMP SALVE

LlI, POWER TRANS.

MICRO METEORITE COS WO RAY

EROSION 6146WES &FERMENT

(12) FIG. 3

EXPLORER MI
HIGH POWER. TRA*11:. EXTERNAL TEMPERATURE

GAUGE

EXTERNAL'

TEMPERATURE

GAUGE

MICROMETE NOSE CONE: ORITE

IMACT

MICROPHONE

TURNSTILE

ANTENNA

WIRE

I

S1G•

 4 EXPLORLIt...the first U. S. satellis