Explorer 7
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| Explorer 7 | |
 |
|
| Organization | NASA |
|---|---|
| Major contractors | Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
| Mission type | Earth science |
| Satellite of | Earth |
| Launch date | October 13, 1959 at 15:36 UTC |
| Launch vehicle | Jupiter-C |
| Mission duration | 2 years |
| NSSDC ID | 1959-009A |
| Webpage | NASA NSSDC Master Catalog |
| Mass | 41.5 kg |
| Orbital elements | |
| Eccentricity | .034693 |
| Inclination | 50.27° |
| Orbital period | 101.38 minutes |
| Apoapsis | 1,073 km |
| Periapsis | 573 km |
Explorer 7 (1959-009A) was launched October 13, 1959. It was designed to measure solar X-ray and Lyman-alpha flux, trapped energetic particles, and heavy primary cosmic rays.
Significantly, it also carried Verner Suomi's flat plate radiometer, improved with the help of Robert Parent, that took the first earth radiation budget measurements from space and initiated the era of satellite studies of the climate. Using both satellite observations of the Earth's heat balance and atmospheric cooling rates measured by net flux radiosondes, Suomi established the important role played by clouds in absorbing radiated solar energy. These observations established that Earth’s energy budget varies markedly due to the effect of clouds, the surface albedo, and other absorbing constituents. Using these instruments, Suomi and his team discovered that the Earth absorbed more of the Sun's energy than originally thought and demonstrated that it was possible to measure and quantify seasonal changes in the global heat budget.
Launched by a Juno rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, it was in a 573 km by 1073 km orbit and inclined 50.27°.
The satellite weighed 41.5 kg, was 75 cm high and 75 cm wide. Powered by solar cells it also carried 15 nickel-cadmium batteries around its equator.
It transmitted data continuously through to February 1961 and went dead August 24, 1961. It is still in orbit.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ U.S. Space Objects Registry. Retrieved on 2006-12-07.
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