Explorer 19

USA

Atmospheric Density Explorer, also called AD-A

Launch data:

Designation	00714 / 63053A
Launch date	19 Dec 1963 - 18:49 UT
Launch site	Va, LC-D
Launch vehicle	Scout X-4 (#S122R)
Mission	Scientific: high atmosphere study
Perigee/Apogee	597/2391 km
Inclination	78.6°
Period	115.9 min
Dry mass on-orbit	7,7 kg

Description

Explorer 19 was the second in a series of 3.66-m inflatable spheres in aluminum, placed into orbit to determine atmospheric densities. Explorer 19 was launched while Explorer 9, the first satellite in the series, was still active, so that densities in two different portions of the atmosphere were sampled simultaneously. The satellite consisted of alternating layers of aluminum foil and plastic film. Uniformly distributed over the aluminum outer surface were 5.1-cm dots of white paint for thermal control. A 136.620-MHz tracking beacon, which was powered by four solar cells and was mounted on the spacecraft skin, used the electrically separated hemispheres of the balloon as an antenna. The spacecraft was successfully orbited, but its apogee was lower than planned. The beacon did not have sufficient power to be received by ground tracking stations, making it necessary to rely solely on the SAO Baker-Nunn camera network for tracking.

End of life

Decay

10 May 1981

Ref.: #1, #7, #15, #27 - update: 12.07.04

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