i

J
j ?

External Publication No. 491

u. QS. ~EXPLORER SATELLITES

(CATEGORY)

jET~RR6'ULSION' ~A80RATORY
·.,CALlPQlNfA.INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
····'p~DiNA 3, CALIFORNIA
'4
(.
-I ORDCIT Project
Contract No. DA 04-495-0rd-18
I Department of the Army
ORDNANCE CORPS
~

. ~~~_Ci-t-49.5-(!>R.V -I'D -
I Ct, ('-; ~c: \
~---
I
I External Publication No. 491

I ( u. QS. ~EXPLORER SATELLITES

I
I
I
W. K: Victor
I
I
I
46
I Copy No.
pp. 1-21

I
I
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
I California Institute of Technology
Pasadena 3, California
May 1, 1958
I
I
 I Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

I U. S. EXPLORER SATELLITES1

rl I. INTRODl~TION

I This is the history of the birth of the first U. S. earth

satellite, Explorer I:
I May, 1955: A feasibility study was begun which led to
the complete definition of the Jupiter C
I vehicle.

I April, 1956: This study was presented to the Army by the

Missile Laboratories at Redstone Arsenal and
I the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). It
indicated that the satellite project was
I definitely feasible.

I September, 1956: The Jupiter C vehicle was successfully

launched at Cape Canaveral, achieving a
I record altitude of 650 miles and a record
distance of 3,000 miles southeast from the
I coast of Florida.

I 1956, 1957: Two subsequent launchings of the Jupiter C

•
vehicle successfully completed the proof
testing of the re-entry nose cone designed

•I 4 October, 1957:
for Jupiter .
The first artificial earth satellite was
launched by Russia, a major scientific
achievement bringing world-wide recognition.
I -----~l-T-h-i-s--p-a-p-e-r--p-r--e-s-e-n-t-s--t-h-e--r-e-s-ults of one phase of research
carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute
of Technology, under Contract No. DA-04-495-0rd 18, sponsored by the
'I Department of the Army Ordnan e Corps.

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I Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

I 3 November, 1957: The second artificial earth satellite was

I launched by Russia, a spectacular demonstration

of rocket power and experimentation in the life

I sciences.
6 November, 1957: A formal presentation was made to the technical
I pc1el on the Earth Satellite Program proposing

I the launching of two earth satellites using

the Jupiter C vehicle. The proposal was

I approved at the panel meeting on that date.

8 November, 1957: The announcement was made by the Secretary of
I Defense that the Army would participate in

I 31 January, 1958:
the IGY satellite program.
The birth of the first u. S. earth satellite,

I Explorer I, occurred at 5 sec after 10:55 PM,

Eastern Standard Time.
I 5 March, 1958: The Explorer II launching was unsuccessful

I due to ignition failure of the fourth-stage

rocket motor.

I 17 March, 1958: The first Vanguard satellite was placed in

orbit.
I 26 March, 1958: Explorer III"was placed in orbit at 12:38 PM,
Eastern Standard Time.
I The Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the California Institute of

I Technology in submitting its proposal to the National Science

Foundation to launch two fully instrumented earth satellites during
I the International Geophysical Year listed the following as
objectives of the satellite experiments:
I
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 I Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

II Explorer I. The first experiment should be performed at the

I earliest possible date. Its objectives would be (1) to gather

environmental data for engineering purposes, (2) to flight-test

I major items of hardware, and (3) to make measurements of scientific

value. The first experiment emphasized the importance of obtaining
I engineering data which could improve the probability for success of

I the second experiment; however, the first experiment contained

cosmic-ray and micrometeorite equipment which provided information
I to scientists enabling them for the first time to evaluate
quantitatively the regions of space beyond the earth's atmosphere.
I Explorer III. The primary objective of the Explorer III

I experiment was scientific in nature. The experiment was designed

to achieve a comprehensive survey of cosmic-ray intensity with
I respect to geographic and geomagnetic latitudes and longitudes,
altitudes above the earth, and time. Secondary objectives were to
I obtain additional information of a statistical nature regarding

I the density and size of micrometeorites and to gather additional

data regarding the external and internal temperatures of orbiting

I vehicles.
The micrometeorite experiment was performed in cooperation with
I the Air Force Cambridge Research Center (AFCRC). The cosmic-ray

I experiment was performed in cooperation with the State University

of Iowa (SUI). The launchings of Explorers I and III were performed
~I in cooperation with the Army Ballistic Missile Agency, (ABMA).
The design of the satellite and, where necessary, the
I coordination of the redesign, for both the scientific experiment

I and the satellite structure, were accomplished by JPL. The integrity

Page 3
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 Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

of the design and the fabrication of the completed payloads were

checked, utilizing the environmental test facilities at JPL prior
to delivery for launch. The Explorer satellite~ weighed approximately
18 1/2 Ib each. With the empty fourth-stage rocket motor attached,
the total weight of each of the orbiting vehicles was approximately
31 lb.

II. THE JUPITER C VEHICLE

The Jupiter C vehicle is a four-stage rocket. The first stage

is a modified Redstone missile developed by the Army Ballistic
Missile Agency in Huntsville, Alabama. The Redstone missile,

'
/fi,
•.
or booster, was used to carry the high-speed rocket stages and the
payload to the injection altitude. The modified Redstone booster

II was conventionally guided by an autopilot and used jet vanes and

attitude jets for control. The attitude control system was carried
I in the instrument compartment in the forward portion of the missile.

;.'·1
f:,'
One of the modifications necessary was the inclusion of electric

:-. motors in the instrument compartment to spin the high-speed cluster

of rocket motors. A second modification was the use of a fuel of

•~.
higher performance than is normally used in the Redstone missile .

;:=
A third modification was the lengthening of the fuel tanks to permit
an i .Icrease in fuel-carrying capacity.

~.• The second, third, and fourth stages of the Jupiter C missile
were designed and developed by JPL.
solid-propellant rocket motors.
All stages used identical
These motors are about 3 feet long
II
~.
and 6 in. in diameter. The second stage used eleven of these

m motors clustered in a concent ic ring. The third stage used three

:w Page 4
 .. - _...._ - - _.. _ - - - - - - -

Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

motors grouped together and nested inside the concentric second

stage. The fourth stage utilized a single rocket motor to which
the payload was attached. The entire assembly of high-speed stages
was placed atop the Redstone booster, attached by means of a large
shaft, and rotated at a speed of 750 rpm to minimize dispersion
during the burning of tll ,) high- speed stages.
The payload is a bullet-shaped instrument compartment attached

;. with machine screws to the four~h-stage motor. It has approximately

the same dimensions as the rocket motor; its size and shape were

I. selected for compatibility with the rocket motor and with the
electronic instrumentation contained within. The primary materials
used in its construction were stainless steel, fiberglass, and
micarta. The bullet-shaped nose cone was made of stainless steel
to resist aerodynamic heating encountered during the launch. The
outer cylinder was also made of stainless steel to carry the thrust
I loads and to preserve the alignment of the payload through the
assembly, checkout, and spin-up on axis. Fiberglass was used to
form the insulating rings between the nose cone and cylinder and
between the cylinder and the rocket motor. The electronic components
were mounted on micarta chassis boards to insulate them from the
outer shell. The proper balance between heat absorption and 11eat
reflection was maintained by means of aluminum oxide stripes on
the nose cone and cylinder.

Page 5
 Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

III. THE EXPLORER I SATELLITE

The Explorer I satellite contained two complete radio telemetry

systems, providing a total of eight channels of continuous telemetry.
Seven sensors supplied data to these eight channels. One of the
sensors, the cosmic-ray tube, was common to both telemetry systems.
Four of the seven sensors detected changes in temperature (see

"I Table 1).

•fl
All four of the temperature sensors changed their resistance
with temperature. The sensor formed part of an oscillating circuit
so that when the resistance increased, the frequency of the
oscillator increased also. The information transmitted by the

~~."
~t
~:::
satellite and picked up by the ground receiving stations was the
frequency of these resistance-controlled oscillators.
~.)~'
/'t,.'

Two of the sensors measured the effects of micrometeorite

~~

,~. impact (see Table 2). A small ultrasonic microphone was placed in
spring contact with the steel cylinder of the payload. The impact
of a micrometeorite on the steel shell was amplified by a high-gain
transistor amplifier to the point where a particle with a very
small momentum would provide a pulse of sufficient amplitude to
trigger a flip-flop. When the output of the flip-flop was in the
"zero" st2te, the current-controlled telemetering subcarrier
oscillator connected to it had a frequency of about 900 cps. When
the satellite collided with the next micrometeorite, the flip-flop
would go to the "one" state and cause the telemetering oscillator
to change its frequency to approximately 1000 cps. With the next
collision, the frequency would alternate back to 900 cps. With

Page 6
 Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

such a telemetering system it was relatively simple for anyone

to ascertain the rate at which Explorer I collided with
micrometeorites.
The wire-grid micrometeorite detector operated in the following
manner: As each wire grid was severed, the subcarrier oscillator
experienced a small step increase in frequency. The wire-grid
detectors were wound with very fine wire, approximately 17 ~ in
I diameter. Since the nominal impact velocity of the satellite and
a micrometeorite is 20,000 to 30,000 mph, a micrometeorite of
approximately 5-~ diameter or greater has been estimated to be
capable of severing one of the wires when it encounters the gauge.
Each wire gauge detector is 1 sq cm in area. The set of twelve
wire gauge detectors was placed in a ring around the fourth-stage
motor.
The cosmic-ray sensor detects the penetration of high-energy
atomic particles through the stainless-steel wall of the Geiger-
Mueller tube. This tube was manufactured by the Anton Electronic
Laboratory and is their Model 314. It is a halogen-quenched tube
about 1 in. in diameter and 6 in. long.
The electronic payload for Explorer I comprises three major
subassemblies: the cosmic-ray-micrometeorite package, the high-
power transmitter, and the low-power transmitter. The cosmic-ray
micrometeorite subassembly has four parts: the cosmic-ray tube,
a scale of 32, a high-voltage power supply, and the microphone
amplifier and scaler. Assuming that the last stage of the scaler
is in a "zero" position, the frequency of the subcarrier oscillator
monitoring the cosmic ray will be about 1200 cps. As soon as 16

Page 7
 Jet Propulsion laboratory External Publication No. 491

•
~-

II··
it:
high-energy particles have penetrated the tube's steel shell, the
output flip-flop of the cosmic-ray scaler will change to the "one "
state and the frequency of the subcarrier oscillator will shift to
~ about 1350 cps. Thus, by noting each time the subcarrier changes
I
• .

,;,,1
~1,}'
frequency and multiplying by 16 it is possible to determine the
relative cosmic-ray intensity in space without further information.

I Because the information is transmitted as the event occurs, the

survey of primary cosmic-ray intensity by Explorer I is limited to
'1:·1 those areas where receiving stations are located. The average
counting rate expected was approximately 32 penetrations per sec,
'"I
lJ;?
which, when scaled down by 32, applies a l-cps square wave to the

I subcarrier oscillator. With a maximum square wave response of 20

cps for this channel, the telemetering system was capable of
~,I handling information up to 20 times the normal rate expeGted if

.'.
!\Ii.:

such an increase in cosmic-ray intensity occurred due to intense

solar or magnetic storms.

'·'1
" The high-power transmitter is completely transistorized and
operated on a frequency of 108.03 mc with a power output of 60
milliwatts. The transmitter is composed of an oscillator operating
on 54.015 mc and a frequency-doubling RF amplifier operating with
an input of 54.015 me and an output of 108.03 mc. It is amplitude-
modulated with a modulation index of approximately 50%. The final
stage of the transmitter is collector-modulated in a rather
conventional manner. The high-power transmitter obtained its
primary power from a set of 24 RM-12 mercury batteries manufactured
by the P. R. Mallory Company. This transmitter delivered its
radio-frequency energy to a turnstile antenna system extending from

Page 8
 Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

the satellite between the instrument compartment and the rocket

motor. The high-power transmitter has a set of four subcarrier
oscillators operating on standard FM/FM channels 2, 3, 4, and 5.
The channel-2 oscillator frequency is centered around 560 cps, and
this channel measures the skin temperature of the cylinder. The
channel-3 oscillator freluency is centered about 730 cps and is

".'.1
.'
"
used to measure the internal temperature of the satellite. The
channel-4 oscillator frequency :is 960 cps; this channel operates
in conjunction with the mic~ophone system described previously.
The channel-5 oscillator frequency is centered about 1300 cps and
measur~s the cosmic-ray count. The life of the high-power
transmitter was approximately 2 weeks, as predicted.
The low-power transmitter is located in the nose of the
satellite. It operated on a frequency of 108.00 mc and delivered
approximately 10 milliwatts of power to the dipole antenna formed
by the nose cone and the cylinder. It was powered by a set of six
RM-42 mercury batteries and consisted of a 54 mc oscillator followed
by a frequency doubler. The low-power transmitter is phase-
modulated by a set of four subcarrier audio oscillators operating
within the standard FM/FM channels 2, 3, 4, and 5. Channel 2
measured the temperature of the nose cone. Channel 3 was used to
measure the nose-cone temperature during launch. Channel 4 measured
the number of micrometeorites (of sufficient size and momentum to
sever the wire) colliding with the wire gauge detectors. Channel 5
measured primary cosmic-ray intensity. The life of the low-power
transmitter was 2 to 3 months as predicted.
 Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

IV. THE EXPLORER III SATELLITE

The Explorer III satellite differs from Explorer I in several

respects, as shown in Table 3. The sensors used in Explorer III
are shown in Table 4 •

• The two major electronic subassemblies comprising the payload

•
were the low-power transmitter and the SUI Cosmic Ray Package,
modified. The low-power transmitter was essentially the same as
that used in Explorer I. Channel-3 telemetry measured internal
,"I,"
temperature .in Explore..r III instead of nose-cone temperature, as in
....w·,.

I Explorer I.

•
The SUI Cosmic Ray Package is comprised of several pancake
foam-potted decks. The decks are stacked one upon the other and
>" bolted together to form a cylinder about 5 1/2 in. in diameter and
•<~'"

e.
ft.
12 in. long. The stack of pancakes is slid into a tight-fitting
aluminum can for structural rigidity.
the various decks are:
The functions performed by

~ Deck A G-M tube, cover plate, turn-on plug

~,
i Deck B VHF receiver
•
Deck C High-power transmitter, modulator,
high-voltage power supply
Deck D Tuning fork oscillator and scale of 4
Deck E Scale of 128
Deck F Scale of 128
Deck G Record-drive amplifier, playback circuit,
relay control circuits
Deck H Mercury batteries (receiver, transmitter)

Page 10
 Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

Deck I Mercury batteries (tape recorder and

interrogation cycle)
Deck J Magnetic-tape recorder
The original Vanguard experiment, with the SUI package, is
compared with Explorer III to indicate some of the reasons for and
r.I~.\.
~;~"
~. :
the effects of the modification. It is seen (Table 5) that by
separating the functions of tracking and stored-data transmission
I the expected operating lifetime of the equipment was increased from

I one to two months without increasing battery weight. In addition,

it was possible to include one more channel of continuous telemetry.
I One major mechanical problem and one major electrical problem
were encountered in modifying the SUI Cosmic Ray Package for the
I Jupiter C vehicle:'

1:.···1
! .
Mechanical Problem Solution

I The system would not interrogate a. Move the latching relays

i'.
:c·l·
while spinning at a rate in excess
of 450 rpm.
is 750 rpm).
(Jupiter C spin rate b.
nearer the spin axis.
Modify the tape-recorder
release mechanism.
:
}.

Electrical Problem Solution

Modulation sidebands on the low- a. Use a separate local
power transmitter interfered with oscillator for the receiver.
the operation of the receiver, b. Add a 10B-mc trap in the
causing self-interrogation. receiver-input transmission
line.
The receiver used in Explorer III was designed, fabricated,
and supplied by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). It is a

Page 11
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

sensitive, completely transistorized, printed circuit, double

•f".
~·I
~~I,","
~\0 ;~
superheterodyne receiver operating in the VHF band with the
following characteristics:
Threshold sensitivity -100 dbm
Bandwidth 10 kc/s
';1 Noise figure >30 db
Supply voltage 10.4 v
I Power consumption, 21 mw

•I non-interrogated
Power consumption,
interrogated
210 mw

The design of the receiver was excellent for the application; the
I actual hardware supplied by NRL passed all of the environmental
; .•. tests without a single failure.
~f

v.
I CALIBRATION PROCEDURES

.".
"
Temperature. In general, the calibration of the telemetry
channels was accomplished in two steps. First, the subcarrier
.,
!I:'
tt,\
oscillators were placed in an oven, and their frequency variation
as a function of temperature was recorded. Simulated detectors,
placed outside the oven, were connected to the oscillators and
var:ed over the expected range of resistance. Then the oscillators
were removed from the oven, and the actual detectors were placed
in the oven for calibration. Calibration curves were plotted
showing the frequency change of the oscillator as a function of
the temperature of the sensor and the temperature of the oscillator.

Page 12
i~
~ Jet Propulsion Laboratory Externa~ Publication No. 491
"".'

•
~~c'·I···
" -;
Micrometeorite Microphone Detector. Small glass beads were
dropped onto the steel cylinder of the assembled payload.
momentum was calculated knowing the mass of the beams and its
The

•'I terminal velocity at impact. A conversion factor relating large-

mass, low-velocity particle momentum to small-mass, high-velocity
particle momentum is being determined experimentally by AFCRC.
Micrometeorite Wire Gauge Detector. This will be an after-
I the-fact calibration performed under the direction of AFCRC. It

•I will be accomplished by shooting high-velocity particles of known

mass at the wire gauge detectors to determine the minimum particle
size and momentum required to sever the wire.
Cosmic-Ray Detector. Four calibrations were performed on the
I Geiger-Mueller tubes prior to flight:

'I a.
b.
Relative counting rate as a function of temperature.
Relative counting rate as a function of supply voltage.

•I c.

d.
Standard source-standard distance measurement to serve
as a reference for later absolute calibrations.
Absolute efficiency based on a ratio of a 3-fold to 2-fold

fj"~'I
count in an omnidirectional field.
An after-the-fact calibration will be performed by the State
University of Iowa to determine the effective length of the G-M
tube in the payload configuration and to assist in determining
absolute magnitude of the omnidirectional field for a given recorded
count rate.
Calibration data for Explorer I is contained in JPL Publication
No. 130, entitled "Calibration Record for the IGY Earth Satellite

Page 13
itl Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

~:". 1958 Alpha." Calibration data for Explorer III is contained in

t.,'
'.~-
r
JPL Publication No. 127, entitled IICalibration Record for the IGY
Earth Satellite 1958 Gamma."

•I VI.

Questions relating
INFORMATION TRANSMITTED BY THE EXPLORERS

0 the density and size of meteorites as

I telemetered by Explorers I and III should be directed to Dr. E.

Manring or Dr. M. Dubin at the Air Force Cambridge Research Center

'1 in Cambridge, Mass. Questions relating to the absolute intensity

of primary cosmic rays should be addressed to Dr. J. Van Allen at
I the State University of Iowa, in Iowa City, Iowa. Questions
relating to the external and internal temperatures encountered by
I the Explorer satellites in space should be directed to Dr. A. Hibbs

• of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California.

•t'.
When this report was written Explorer I had been in orbit two
and one-half months. During this time the coldest temperature
reached by the nose-cone skin sensor was -30°C; the hottest
temperature, +75°C. However, for anyone orbit it appears that
,? il·.:·· the outer skin experienced a total temperature variation of about

•
80 to 90 o C. The internal temperature of the payload varies much
less than the outside temperature due to the insulation provided.
The temperature inside Explorer I varies from 0 to 35°C inside the
cylinder and from 5 to 40 0 C inside the nose cone. Data from
Explorer III indicate that the temperatures it will experience will
be similar to those measured in Explorer I. Internal temperatures
measured during a 2-week observation period were 0 to 30 0 C inside
the nose cone and 5 to 35°C inside the cylinder.

Page 14
 --- --------------

r~.". Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

"~I
!:'
t -.
VII. EXPLORER SATELLITES IN ORBIT

•I As the satellites continue to encircle the earth, their paths

can be described quantitatively in the manner shown in Table 6.
The accuracy to which the orbital parameters are known can best

•I be determined by using them to predict the position of the satellite

at some time in the future. If the parameters of Explorer I are
used to predict its position 3 days in advance, an error in time
of about one min (or 300 miles along the path) might be expected.
I The Explorer III orbit will be more difficult to predict accurately,
because the unknown effects of atmospheric drag at the lower perigeal
I altitudes are more pronounced. On the other hand, Explorer III

I will provide scientists with a great deal more information about

the atmospheric density at this altitude.
I Although the density of the atmosphere at perigee is extremely

'I small compared with that at the surface of the earth, the satellite
still collides with enough air molecules to slow it down a small

• fraction of its total speed. As the speed at perigee decreases,

••
the altitude at apogee and the time to complete one orbit also
decreases. Therefore, by noting the rate at which the period
:' decreases, it is possible to predict the expected lifetime of the
"

satellite. Just before the satellite is about to enter the

atmosphere and burn up, the satellite orbit becomes circular. The
rate of decay for the Explorer I period is 0.01 min/day, and the
estimated lifetime is 5 to 10 years. The rate of decay for the
Explorer III period is 0.3 min/day, and its estimated lifetime
is 4 to 6 months.

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.1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

I VIII. FUTURE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES

~I One of the significant things demonstrated by the Explorer

satellites is that a communication system can operate effectively
I with milliwatts of radiated power at ranges up to 2500 miles. The

• technique is successful because the information rates are low and

bandwidths of the receivers are narrow. Further exploitation of

•I this technique will make it possible to communicate at distances

measured in millions of miles with only a few watts of transmitter
power.

I Table 1. Temperature Sensors Used in :p orer I

Measurement Detector Manufacturer Measurement
I Type and Model Range, °C
Temperature Detectors
I Nose cone, launch Resistance
wire
Arnoux
No. 52714H-13
-50 to 450

I Nose cone, skin Resistance

wire
Arnoux
No. 2202L-8
-100 to 150

I Cylinder, skin Thermistor GE Carboloy

RF 11
-50 to 150

'. Internal, RF chassis Thermistor VECO

No . 32A12
-10 to 80

Page 16
 Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

•I Table 2.

Measurement
Micrometeorite Sensors Used in Explorer I

Detector
Type
Manufacturer
and Model
Measurement
Range

I Meteorite Detectors
Number of gauges 17-J.-L wire AFCRC Will register
I opened by meteorite
collisons
on 1 sq cm
patch
up to 12 open
gauges by
collison with
meteorites
I greater than
5 J-L in diam.

I Micrometeorite
collisons with
Ultrasonic
microphone
Temple
University
Detects all
meteorites
cylinder as they and AFCRC with
I occur momentums of
6 to 18
milligram
cm/sec and
I above

I
I
I
•
~
•
,'

< ,..f

Page 17
 I Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

I Table 3. Characteristic Differences Between

Explorers I and III
I Characteristic Explorer I Explorer III

I Sensors 7 4

Temperature detectors 4 2
I Meteorite detectors 2 1

Cosmic-ray measurement Single G-M tube; Single G-M tube;

I 2 continuous
readouts
1 continuous readout
1 stored trans-
mission
I Data storage None Magnetic-tape recorder

I Data transmission Continuous only Continuous plus

playback upon
command

I Radio receiver None Transistorized VHF

receiver

I Antennas 1 dipole
1 turnstile
2 dipoles, one
duplexed with
receiver
I Transistors, total 42 107
High-power transmitter Continuous for Intermittent for
I 2 weeks 2 months

•
•
;1)'
•
"'~ .,
 I Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

I Table 4. Explorer III Sensors

I Measurement Detector
Type
Manufacturer and
Model
Measurement
Range, °c

I Nose-cone skin
Temperature Detectors
Thermistor GE·· Carboloy -50 to 150
RF 11
I Internal, at base Thermistor VECa
of G-M tube No. 32A12 -10 to 80
'I Meteorite Detector

I Number of gauges
opened by
meteorite
17-/J. wire on
on 1 sq cm
patch
AFCRC Register up to
12 open gauges
by collison
collisons with
I meteorites
greater than
5 /J. in diam.
I Cosmic-Ray Detector
o to 640
I Primary cosmic-ray
intensity
Geiger-
Mueller
tube
Anton Electronic
Labs. No. 314 particles/
sec

I
II
I
~
7~•

•
".
;/;.

'

•.
• .

Page 19
••••• ••••••• ~ ~~~~ ••
Table 5. Comparison of Explorer III with Original Vanguard Package II
-
"-
11)

~
o
Explorer III Vanguard SUI Package II "U
c:
i;>
<;-
Telemetry ::l
Assignment I Information Transmitted Telemetry Assignment Information Transmitted I"-
Q
c-
HP
108.03 mc
I Stored cosmic-ray data
on command
HP
108.00 mc
Stored cosmic-ray data
on command
.,o
-Q
o.,
'<
LP5 Continuous cosmic ray 3500-cps subcarrier Continuous cosmic ray
pulse FM

LP4 Meteorite abrasion, 12 3500-cps subcarrier Meteorite abrasion, 12

wire gauge detectors zero signal wire gauge detectors
frequency

LP3 Internal temperature, 3500-cps calib with Internal temperature,

direct (thermistor) standard resistor Indirect (freq vs
temp)

LP2 Shell tem~erature, None tTl

X
direct (thermistor) c+
CD
Ii
Two-months battery life, ::J
OJ
weight, 18.5 lb One-month battery life, .......
weight, 20.5 lb '"d
C
0"
.......
,....
o
OJ
c+
,....
o
::J
'"tj Z
OJ o
1.0
CD
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 I Jet Propulsion Laboratory External Publication No. 491

I I Table 6. Orbital Parameters of Explorers I and III

I Orbital
Characteristic
Explorer I
(after 2 1/2 months
Explorer III
(after 2 weeks in
in orbit) in orbit.)
I --------------------------------~----------------------r_------------------
Perigee, miles 220 117
Apogee, miles 1563 1740
I Eccentricity 0.1383 0.166

I Semimajor axis/earth radius 1.2248 1 ~ 2344

Nodal period, min 114.58 115.65

'I Rate of decrease of period,

min/day
0.01 0.3

II Inclination to equatorial
plane, deg
33.14 33.46

I Motion of apogee in direction

of satellite motion,
deg/day
6.45 6.29

I Westward precession,
deg/day
4.31 4.25

I Westward motion of ascending

node (includes precession),
29.06
deg/period
1'1 Westward motion of earth;
deg/period
28.68

I Orbit number
Date
786
4/4/58
71
4/1/58
Time of crossing 16 H 8M 42S, GMT 9H 38M 1 7S, GMT
I Longitude crossing
ascending node
2 0 49' 20 11 east 114 0 4' 4111 west
Longitude of perigee 153 0 east 11 0 -east
I Altitude 1500 miles 1320 miles

I
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