Eros (satellite)

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AEROS satellite

AEROS-A and AEROS-B (also: Eros 1 and Eros 2 ) were two aeronomy satellites, the scientific program of which was developed in cooperation between the US NASA and the German DFVLR and which were operated by these two institutions. The main contractor for the development and manufacture of the satellites was Dornier- System GmbH.

Experiments

The program formulated by Karl Rawer envisaged measuring the extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) from the sun spectroscopically as the cause of the most important processes and at the same time determining the most important data on the neutral and charged parts of the atmosphere as a result . Of the five board experiments, the EUV aimed spectrometer by G. Schmidtke on the cause during the NASA experiment ( NW Spencer ) kinetic neutral temperature - and density and K. Spenner s back tension analyzer densities and temperatures of electrons and ions certain . Two further experiments focused on a mass spectrometric measurement of neutrals and ions ( D. Krankowski and P. Lämmerzahl ) and tracking rapid changes in plasma density ( E. Neske ). At AEROS-A, the last-mentioned experiment failed.

Satellites

Surname NSSDC ID begin Track height Orbit inclination Orbital time Mission end
AEROS-A 1972-100A December 16, 1972 223 × 867 km 96.90 ° 95.60 min 22nd August 1973
AEROS-B 1974-055A July 16, 1974 224 × 869 km 97.50 ° 95.60 min September 25, 1975

Both satellites had a mass of 127 kg and were launched with a Scout D1 rocket from launch site 5 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California .

Results

After calibration in flight, the two satellites allowed a longer, absolutely calibrated measurement of the solar EUV for the first time. Subsequent critical comparisons of redundant measured variables resulted in consistent sets of neutral and ion data. These were incorporated into international models of the neutral high atmosphere and the ionosphere . In particular, the electron and ion data were important basic data for the International Reference Ionosphere project jointly operated by URSI and COSPAR .

literature

  • Peter Lämmerzahl, Karl Rawer, Max Römer: Results of the AEROS satellite program. Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics, Heidelberg 1979. (contains list of more than 100 individual publications)
  • Karl Rawer: The AEROS satellite project. In: Anniversary issue of the German Geophysical Society 1922-1997. 1997, pp. 155-162.
  • Karl Rawer, Hongsheng S.Tai: Correlated variations of solar EUV line emissions. In: Adv. Space Res. 37, 2006, pp. 234-237.

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