Explorer 50
Explorer 50, also known as IMP-J or IMP-8, was a NASA satellite launched to study the magnetosphere. It was the eighth and last in a series of the Interplanetary Monitoring Platform.
Explorer 50 (IMP-8) satellite | |
| Names | IMP-J IMP-8 Interplanetary Monitoring Platform-8 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Space physics |
| Operator | NASA |
| COSPAR ID | 1973-078A |
| SATCAT no. | 06893 |
| Mission duration | 34 years (achieved) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Explorer L |
| Spacecraft type | Interplanetary Monitoring Platform |
| Bus | IMP |
| Manufacturer | Goddard Space Flight Center |
| Launch mass | 371 kg (818 lb) |
| Dimensions | Polyhedron of 16 faces: 157.4 cm (62.0 in) height 135.6 cm (53.4 in) diameter |
| Power | 150 watts |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 26 October 1973, 02:26:03 UTC |
| Rocket | Thor-Delta 1604 (Thor 582 / Delta 097) |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral, LC-17B |
| Contractor | Douglas Aircraft Company |
| Entered service | 26 October 1972 |
| End of mission | |
| Deactivated | October 2001 |
| Last contact | 7 October 2006 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | High Earth orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 22.11 RE |
| Apogee altitude | 45.26 RE |
| Inclination | 28.64° |
| Period | 11.99 days |
| Instruments | |
| Charged Particle Measurements Experiment (CPME) Cosmic Ray Nuclear Composition Electrons, Hydrogen and Helium Isotopes Electrostatic Fields Electrostatic Waves and Radio Noise Energetic Electrons and Protons Magnetic Field Experiment Measurement of Low-Energy Protons and Electrons Solar and Cosmic-Ray Particles Solar Plasma Electrostatic Analyzer Solar Plasma Faraday Cup | |
Explorer program | |
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