HEAO 2

USA

International Sat. n°:

USA satellite n°:

Also called "Einstein observatory"

Launch data:

Designation: 11101 / 78103A
Launch date 13 Nov 1978
Launch site CC, LC-36B
Launch vehicle: Atlas-SLV3D Centaur-D1AR (AC-52)
Mission: Scientific: X-ray astronomy
Earth orbit on:
Perigee/Apogee 526/548 km
Inclination 23.5°
Period 95.4 min

Equipped with a 58cm diameter telescope with a 3.3m focal length. The satellite also contained five other instruments, 4 of which shared the use of the telescope to make a variety of measurements of X-rays emitted by stellar objects. The fifth instrument, independent of the telescope, measured properties of X-rays beyond the telescope's energy range.

Built by TRW Defense and Space Systems for NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

Specifications

Prime contractor TRW
Platform  
Mass at launch approx. 3 t
Mass in orbit  
Dimension  
Solar array  
Stabilization 3-axis
DC power 600 W
Design lifetime 0.5 year

End of life

Decay 25 Mar 1982

Ref: #1, #15 - update: 12.07.08