ISEE-2
The ISEE-2 (International Sun-Earth Explorer-B or ISEE-B) was an Explorer-class daughter spacecraft, International Sun-Earth Explorer-2, was part of the mother/daughter/heliocentric mission (ISEE-1, ISEE-2, ISEE-3). ISEE-2 was a 165.78 kg (365.5 lb) space probe used to study magnetic fields near the Earth. ISEE-2 was a spin-stabilized spacecraft and based on the design of the prior IMP (Interplanetary Monitoring Platform) series of spacecraft. ISEE-1 and ISEE-2 were launched on 22 October 1977, and they re-entered on 26 September 1987.
ISEE-1 and ISEE-2 satellites at Kennedy Space Center | |
| Names | ISEE-B International Sun-Earth Explorer-B IMP-K Prime |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Space physics |
| Operator | NASA / ESA |
| COSPAR ID | 1977-102B |
| SATCAT no. | 10423 |
| Mission duration | 10 years (achieved) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | ISEE-2 |
| Spacecraft type | International Sun-Earth Explorer |
| Bus | IMP (Interplanetary Monitoring Platform) |
| Manufacturer | Dornier Systems |
| Launch mass | 165.78 kg (365.5 lb) |
| Dimensions | Cylinder at 16 sided of 1.27 m (4 ft 2 in) of diameter and of 1.14 m (3 ft 9 in) in height |
| Power | 112 watts |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 22 October 1977, 13:53:00 UTC |
| Rocket | Thor-Delta 2914 (Thor 623 / Delta 135) |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral, LC-17B |
| Contractor | Douglas Aircraft Company |
| Entered service | 22 October 1977 |
| End of mission | |
| Last contact | 26 September 1987 |
| Decay date | 26 September 1987 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | High Earth orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 1.04 Re (6,600 km (4,100 mi)) |
| Apogee altitude | 23.00 Re (137,806 km (85,629 mi)) |
| Inclination | 28.76° |
| Period | 3556.80 minutes |
| Instruments | |
| Electron and Proton Fluxes in the Outer Magnetosphere (1.5-300 keV) Fast Plasma Experiment (FPE) Low-Energy Proton and Electron Differential Energy Analyzer (LEPEDEA) Medium Energy Particles Experiment (METE) Plasma (Total Electron) Density by Radio Techniques Plasma waves: electric and magnetic fields spectra (5.62 Hz - 31.1 kHz) Solar Wind Ions Distribution Tri-axial Fluxgate Magnetometer | |
International Sun-Earth Explorer | |
The program was a cooperative mission between NASA and ESRO (later European Space Agency (ESA)), a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between NASA and the European Space Agency, was signed in March 1975. The program was designed to study the interaction between the Earth's magnetic field and the solar wind. At least 32 institutions were involved, and the focus was on understanding magnetic fields. ISEE-1 and ISEE-3 were built by NASA, while ISEE-2 was built by ESA. All three had complementary instruments supported by the same group of over 100 scientists.