sas-b press kit

8/8/2019 SAS-B Press Kit

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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND* SPACE ADMINISTRATIONWashington, D. C. 20546

202-755-8370FOR RELEASE: SundayOctober 29, 1972

p PROJECT: SAS-B

E contentsGENERAL RELEASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7

SAS-B SPACECRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9AW Attitude Stabilization & Control System . 8

Communications Systems . . . . . . . . . 9THE SPARK CHAMBER GAMMA RAY TELESCOPE. . . --10GAMMA RAY ASTRONOMY.. . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12UHURU (EXPLORER 42) RESULTS.. . . . . . . . 13

THE SAN MARCO LAUNCH FACILITY.. . . . . . 14-15THE SCOUT ROCKET . .. . . . . . . . . . . 16

SEQUENCE OF LAUNCH EVENTS.. . .. . . . . . 17

SAS-B PROJECT OFFICIALS.. . . . . . . . . . 18-20T SAS-B FACT SHEET . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-22

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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS ANDSPACE ADMINISTRATIONWashington, D. C. 20546PHONE: 202/755-8370

FOR RELEASE: SundayHoward Allaway October 29, 1972(Phone: 202/755-3680)Ken Senstad/ GSFC(Phone: 301/982-5566RELEASE NO: 72-204

GAMMA RAY SATELLITE TO BE LAUNCHED FROM AFRICA

A significant step in space astronomy will be taken whenNASA's Small Astronomy Satellite B (SAS-B) is launched earlynext month from the Italian-operated San Marco EquatorialRange in the Indian Ocean off the coast of the Republic ofKenya.

SAS-B is the first spacecraft since the small Explorer 11in 1961 to be devoted exclusively to the study of gamma rays.It is the second in the SAS series developed by NASA's GoddardSpace Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., and will be named Explorer48 after orbit is achieved.

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The launch, on a Scout rocket into a circular orbit555 kilometers (345 statute miles) above Earth's equator, isplanned for no earlier than the morning of November 2 - localtime- near midnight November 1 in the United States.

The 186-kilogram (410-pound) satellite carries one experi-ment, housed in a large, dome-shaped container mounted ontop of a standard SAS control section. The experiment consistsof a 32-level digitized spark chamber gamma-ray telescope,designed and built at Goddard. Rare celestial gamma rays willbe detected with a determination of their intensity, energy,and direction of arrival. The sensitivity will be about tentimes greater than any other gamma ray detector previously orbited.

SAS-B will begin its scientific exploration with an all-sky survey. Following this survey the telescope will be usedfor a detailed study of discrete gamma ray sources.

Gamma ray astronomy is a comparatively new field and wasgiven high priority in a report entitled "Priorities for SpaceResearch, 1971-1980," published last year by the Space ScienceBoard of the National Research Council.

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Gamma rays do penetrate the Earth's atmosphere to balloonaltitude (about 36,000 meters, 120,000 feet), but cosmic raysinduce a high secondary gamma ray background in the atmosphere;therefore, gamma rays are test observed by satellite-borneinstruments. Identification of these gamma-rtys requires higniysophisticated instruments such as the digitized spark chambertelescope -- a device originally developed for high-energyphysics.

Scientists are particularly eager to know more aboutcelestial gamma radiation in order to obtain an understandingof some of the major energy transfer mechanisms occurring inthe universe. Fundamental questions concerning stars, inter-stellar matter, galactic magnetic fields, and cosmic rays and,-heir interactions may be answered if gamma ray sources and pro-pfigation can be understood.

Gamma rays should, for example, provide information onsupernovae--exploding stars whose mass is comparable to thatof our own Sun. Gamma ray astronomy will also furnish data onthe dynamic balance of our galactic disc by which the expansivepressures of the cosmic rays, magnetic fields, and particlemotion are balanced by the gravitational attraction of thematter in the galactic dc.'

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The SAS-." launch will be conducted by personnel of theAerospace Research Center of the University of Rome (CentroRicerche Aerospaziali (CRA) dell' Universita Degli Studi diRona). It is the fifth launch from the San Marco EquatorialRange and SAS-B is the third U.S. satellite to be launched byItaly under an agreement signed April 30, 1969.

The first U.S. spacecraft launched from San Marco, orfrom any foreign range, was the highly successful X-raysatellite. Explorer 42 (SAS-A), launched December 12, 1970.It was named Uhuru ("Freedom" in Swahili) in honor of Kenya'sIndependence Day. The second was Explorer 45 (Small ScientificSatellite-A), designed to study energetic particles and fields,launched November 15, 1971. Both spacecraft continue to provideexcellent scientific data.

The other two satellites launched from San Marco werepart of NASA/CRA cooperative programs, using Italian-builtatmospheric study satellites. Named San Marco 2 and San Marco 3,they were launched in April 1967 and April 1971, respectively.

The San Marco facility is ideal for placing satellitesinto equatorial orbits such as the one needed for SAS-B.Equatorial orbits could be achieved from other launch sites,such as Cape Kennedy, Fla., but would require larger and morecostly booster rockets, and difficult flight trajectories.

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An equatorial orbit is desirable for SAS-B because at alow inclination the satellite will avoid passing through themagnetic field anomaly in the South Atlantic Ocean. Theenergetic electrons and protons in the anomaly would degradethe data from the spark chamber.

SAS-B is unique from an engineering standpoint in thatthe standard satellite subsystems needed to support theexperiment are self-contained in a "universal bus" controlsection on which the spark chamber telescope is mounted.The control section is readily adaptable to a variety ofexperiment packages. The control section, built by theApplied Physics Laboratory of the Johns Hopkins University,Silver Spring, Md., is 55 centimeters (22 inches) in diameter,and 50 centimeters (20 inches) long.

The Project Manager of the SAS series is the first womanto nold such a post in the U. S. space program, Mrs. Marjorie R.Townsend of the Goddard Space Flight Center. She is responsi-biac for aMl aspects of the SAS project -- design, fabrication,testing and launch.

Mrs. Townsend rec"ivod an engineering degree from theGeorge Washington Univorsity in 1951. She was recognized forexceptional managorial ability with the NASA Exceptional ServiceMedal in October i971. She r-ecently received the award ofni(ight. of the Italian Republlic Ortler in Rnome,


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Data from SAS-B will be acquired primarily by the NASASpaceflight Tracking Data Network (STDN) station at Quito,Ecuador. Other data acquisition sites include U.S. stationsat Ascension Island, the Seychelles Islands, and French-operated sites at Kourou, French Guiana, and Brazzaville,Republic of the Congo, as well as at San Marco. The data willbe sent to the Goddard Space Flight Center for analysis.

After evaluation and analysis by the principal investi-gator and his colleagues, the scientific data will be depositedin the NASA Space Science Data Center, Greenbelt, Md., foruse by the world scientific community.

The SAS-B program is part of the Explorer series ofscientific satellites directed by NASA's Office of Space Science.The NASA Goddard Spac3 Flight Center is responsible for SAS-BProject Management and development of the gamma ray experiment.The Applied Physics Laboratory is prime contractor for theSAS-B control section and integration of the spark chamberexperiment.

NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va., manages theScout launch vehicle program, and the prime contractor for theScout is LTV Aerospace Corp., Dallas, Texas.

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Approximate costs of the SAS-B mission are $9 millionfor the spacecraft, including the experiment, $1.45 millionfor the Scout launch vehicle, and $600 thousand to Italy asreimbursement for launch costs.

(End of General Release - Background Information follows)


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THE SAS-B SPACECRAFT

The unique SAS-B satellite control section isa 55-centimeter (22-inch) cylinder made of aluminum. Ithouses the command system, telemetry system, stabilizationsystem, tape recorder, and batteries. It is designed to beadaptable to carry a wide variety of experiment pcckages.The spark chamber gamma ray telescope and related equipment,housed in a dome-shaped structure, is mounted on top ofthe control section. Overall length of the fully assembledsatellite is 129 centimeters (51 inches).Four solar panels are attached to the control section.During launch they are folded against the fourth stage ofthe Scout rocket. Once in orbit, the solar panels areextended perpendicular to the control section. Thetip-to-tip length of the panels is 396 centimeters(156 inches). Mounted on the tip of each panel is eithera command or a telemetry antenna.Solar cells mounted on the panels supply an averageof 27 watts power to recharge the satellite's nickel-cadmiumbattery package.

Attitude Stabilization and Control SystemThe orbital location and attitude of SAS-B must beknown at all times. This information is necessary todetermine the direction of arrival of the gamma rays and,thus, the position of the source from which they came.While the orbital location of the spacecraft isdetermined by ground tracking stations, the satellite'sattitude is controlled and monitored by ar t onboard system.Similar to that of Uhuru,(SAS-A), it consists cf separatesystems for spin-axis orientation and spin-rate control,a stabilizing rotor to provide adequate angular momentumfor good gyro-stabilization, a nutation. damper, a chargeable

trint magnet system, and a star sensors. In conjunction witha ground computer which defines the turn-on time ofon-board electromagnets, this system uses Earth's magneticfield for torquing, thus it requires no control gas system.This attitude stabilization and control system can

control the attitude of the satellite in different orientationswithin three degrees and determine orientation to an accuracyof one-fourth of a degree.

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SPARK CHAMBER EXPERIMrNT

*1

COMMAND ANTENNAOMN4ATNATELEMETRY ANTENNA0

21.

SPACECRAFT CONTROL SECTION

SMALL ASTRONOMY SATELLITE - Brn


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Communications SystemCommunication between the ground and the spacecraftis accomplished by using the redundant command receivers

and decoding any of 60 commands on board the satellite.Commands originating at the SAS Control Center at theGoddard Space Flight Center are sent primarily to theNASA tracking station at Quito, Ecuador, for transmissionto the spacecraft.

Data obtained by the satellite will be stored ona tape recorder. As the spacecraft passes over the groundstation, the tape recorder speed is increased by a factorof 20, permitting data from a full 96 minute orbit to betransmitted to th e ground in approximately 5 minutes by aVHF transmitter.

The data are transmitted in digital form and includeinformation on the operation and condition of the spacecraftand experiment as well as experiment data. In addition tobeing stored on board, data can be transmitted at 1000 bitsper second in real time by th e same transmitter.

THE SPARK CHAMBER GAMMA RAY TELESCOPE

The SAS-B experiment represents the first satelliteversion of a digitized spark chamber gamma ray telescope.It is th e out-growth of a series of spark chamber devicesdeveloped at the Goddard Space Flight Center, under th edirection of Dr. Carl Fichtel. The first such devices werecarried aloft on high altitude ballooas.

The heart of this experiment is a thirty-two-deckdigitized spark chamber which allo%:s a three-dianensional"electronic picture" to be made of the trajectory of theelectron pair created by an incoming gamma ray in one ofthe thin plates between the spark chamber decks. Thelarge detector dome over the spark chamber discriminatesagainst charged particles; other counters determine whenthe spark chamber should be pulsed and data read out.

The experiment will be pointed along the spacecraftdXiS, and the information on the arrival direction andenergy of each gamma ray is obtained directly from ananalysis of the spark chamber track.

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--- PINC#H FRAME13eUPPER SPARK______CHAMBER -

SCINTILLATOR -_-GUARD31 !1- ',SCINTILLATIONLOWER SPARK- - COUNTER'O CHAMBER i' tlj1CHMERKO "' -/! LIGHT PIPES (4)COUNTER - I PRESSURE VESSELASSEMBLY -_(4 UNITS) K PHOTO-ELECTRONiCS - -;\'' r FIMULTIPLIERS(8)BOXES (4) 4HOTOMULTIPLIERS(4)

MOUNTING CLIPS ( -n f ~~ -~' & - ~~' ,PEDESTAkLDUST COVER -_-__ -- 4--PEDESTA

SAS-B Gamma-Ray Experiment


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The telescope has a sensitivity far grtater than anysatellite gamma-ray experiment flown thus far. It willbe able to determine the arrival directions of gamma raysto about one degree. The energy spectrum from about25 to 200 MeV and the total flux above that energy willalso be measured. Thus, it should provide the fwucarkientaldata needed to determine the nature of the gamma radiationthat comes from the galactic plane.

A sky survey will be performed to look fo r gamma-raystars with a sensitivity about 10 times better than possiblewith other current experiments.The specific scientific objectives of the SAS-Bexperiment are:

* To measure the dependence on direction of thegalactic and extra-galactic diffuse gammaradiation with an accuracy of about one degreefor gamma rays above 100 million cl-ctron volts.(Visible star light is in the range of about twoelectron volts.)

* To measure the energy spectrum of this gammaradiation as a function of direction in therange from 25 to 200 million electron voltsand the integral intensity above 200 millionelectron volts.* To determine whether discrete sources of gamma

radiation exist both within and external to ourgalaxy at a flux level detectable with theexperiment on SAS-B and to measure the position,intensity, and energy spectra of any discovered sources.* To look for short burst of gamma rays fromsupernovae.* To look for pulsed gamma radiation from pulsars.

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GAMMA RAY ASTRONOMY

In a report entitled "Priorities for Space -z-search,1971-1980," prepared last year by the Space Science Boardunder auspices of the National Academy of Sciences, theAstronomy Working Group stated:High-energy photon astronomy has developedduring the past decade into one of the mostfruitful areas of modern astronomy. Exper-iments conducted above the obscuring atmo-sphere have extended observations beyondthe ultraviolet by more than six decades ofthe spectrum and have resulted in the dis-covery of surprising and unexpected sourcesof celestial X and gamma rays. These dis-coveries have already had major impact onour ideas regarding the origin and earlyhistory of the universe, stellar and galac-tic evolution, the properties of the inter-stellar medium, and the origins of cosmicrays. The promise of continued importantadvances and the challenge of the observa-tional problems have attracted many capableexperimentalists to the field and have in-spired the development of a battery of newtechniques for the detection and analysisof radiation in space. Thus, the necessaryfoundation exists for a program that willexploit these recent scientific breakthroughsduring the coming decade ..... Meanwhile, asustained program of smaller exploratoryinvestigations will continue to stimulatenew technical developments and assure a con-tinuing yield of new discovery.

Gamma ray astronomy, as a relativelt young discipline,plays an important role in what may be called "the new as-tronomy." Scientific literature on the subject is sparse.The primary mission of SAS-B is to make the first de-tailed sky map of gamma ray emissions. This will be thefirst complete map of the celestial sphere to show in detailtChe general origins of this energy.Gamma rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation sim-ilar to the photon particles in visible light. However, theyare vastly more powerful, with energies ranging upwards from200,000 times the energy of visible light photons.

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These very strong sources of radiation cannot be detect-ed on Earth's surface because they are absorbed in the atmo-sphere. Thus, the satellite, capable of long-term observations,is the best means of conducting gamma ray studies. However,early studies of gamma rays, for short time periods, havebeen conducting using balloons and sounding rockets. Todate the bulk of our gamma ray knowledge comes from balloonflights and from experiments on OSO-3 and OSO-7.However, even above the atmosphere observing gamma raysis difficult. This is because their intensity is low com-pared 'ith the intensity of high background cosmic rays. Also,gamma rz-ays interact with matter in a far different way than,for example, visible light. Visible light is absorbed byhaving its energy transferred to an Plectron already exist-ing in matter. Gamma rays, on the other hand, are absorbedin matter by a transformation into an electron-positron pair,a complicated process. It is through the detection of theelectron-positron pair that gamma rays can be observed andtheir characteristics determined.Learning more about gamma radiation, its origin, and

its 'mechanics is of considerable scientific interest becauseit provides physicists with a potential means of detectingmany of the major energy transfers occurring in the cosmos.Understanding gamma rays can thus help answer fundamen-tal questions about stars, interstellar matter, galactic mag-netic fields, cosmic rays, and their exceedingly complexinteractions.Other key objectives in gamma ray astronomy are:* To measure the gamma ray intensity in variousregions of the sky to help determine whether they exist in

intergalactic space as well as our galaxy.* To provide a better understanding of the dynamicsof supernovae.* To determine the validity of one version of thesteady-stage theory of the universe which states matter isbeing formed by the continuous spontaneous creation of parti-cles and antiparticles.

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UHURU (EXPLORER 42) RESULTSX-ray astronomy results fro;m Uhuru (Explorer 42), thefirst of the SAS series, are considered by scientists to behighly significant to high-energy astronomy. (A definitivesummary of findings was published in Science journal onJanuary 28, 1972.)Thus far, a catalogue of 125 X-ray sources has beenprepared from Uhuru data. In addition, the satellite's im-portant findings include:* Discovery of rapidly varying X-ray sources whoseproperties differ in many respects from those ofthe more common radio pulsars;* The detection of X-ray emission from Seyfert gal-axies;* Discovery of X-ray emissions from peculiar sourcessuch as quasars;* Discovery of binary star systems identified solelyon X-ray data;* Possible data to support the "Black Hole" theory.NASA's first two satellites devoted to high-energy astro-physics, Uhuru and SAS-B, as well as future SAS spacecraftdesigned to study ultra-violet and infrared scurces and tomake mote detailed X-ray studies, will provide guides for large-scale studies by the High Energy Astronomical Observatory(HEAO), being planned by NASA for launch in the late 1970s.Summarizing results from Uhuxu, thus far, Dr. CarlFichtel, SAS Project Scientist, reports: "Uhuru representsa giant step forward in astronomy by providing the first com-plete and sensitive picture of the sky in X-rays. Theseresults from the satellite c- firm the expectation that notonly significant, but some unexpected phenomena would be dis-covered, relating directly to the fundame.ntal high energy pro-cesses which govern the evolution of stars and galaxies."

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THE SAN MARCO LAUNCH FACILITY

The can Marco Equatorial Range is owned and operaced bythe Italian government. It is composed of two off-shoreplatforms stationed in Formosa Bay about three miles off thencoast of Kenya, 2.9 degrees south of the Equator.

The launch platform, San Marco, is located approximately5C0 meters (550 yards) from the Santa Rita platform, whichhouses the control and operations center and supporting rangeequipment.

The launch platform, a surplus U.S. Army ocean dock, has20 steel legs embedded in the sandy seabed at latitude 2 de-grees 56 minutes 18 seconds South, longitude 40 degrees 12minutes 45 seconds East -- ideal for equatorial space launch-ings.

A 36.5 meter (120-foot) shelter, which houses the Scoutvehicle during vehicle assembly and checkout prior to launch,provides and air-conditioned environment for the vehicle whileon the launcher. A large pit on the launch platform, open tothe sea, absorbs the exhaust of the Scout first-stace motor.Spacecraft checkout facilities are also available or. the SanMarco platform.

The Santa Rita platform, a LeTourneau oil drfilling plat-form modified by the Italian firm Nuova Pignone, houses thecontrol center, control room and the instrumentation requiredto launch and track th e Scout.Twenty-three undersea cables link the San Marco launch

complex with its sister platform. More than 3,000 connections(f various kinds link the two platforms. iZndependent gen-Srators at the two locations provide electricity at two volt-ages to meec the requirements of the scientific equipmentand the housing and other facilities.

Logistical support for platform operations is providedby a base camp facility located on the shore of Formosa Bayat Ngomeni Point. Here, communications, supply, mess, andhousing facilities are available to range users.

The overall operation is made possible through the coop-eration of Republic of Kenya technical and scientific organ-.vations such as EAPT (East African Post and Telecommunications),EARH (East African Railroad and Harbours), East African Meteor-ological Service, and others.

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D.rAITEED \MA? 0?' SAWN MARCO RANGE ' h1LITTES

Eh X IO4N7-4f afI

WHO'S Xd1 4,;62* 59' 36"

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fin Marco ?Thtforr - Scout Launch FacilitySanta iita 'attformz - Range and Comaunications Control

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This cooperative effort is covered by an agreementbetween the CRA and the University of Nairobi and by amemorandum of understanding between the Kenyan Governmentand the Italian Government.

Under the agreement the Kenyan Government also leasesthe land, near the village of Ngomeni, for t-he Saa MarcoRange Base Camp.


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THE SCOUT ROCKET

Scout is NASA's only solid propellant launch rocketcapable of placing payloads in orbit. The first develor-mentalScout wIas launched July 1, 1960. The SAS-13 mission isexpected to be th e 81st Scout launch. Since the Scout wasrecertified in 1963, the launch vehicle has attained a95 percent success record.Scout is a four-stage solid propellant rocket system.Scout S-170 ane the spacecraft will be set on an initiallaunch azimuth of 87 degrees to obtain a 555 kilometer(342 statute mile) circular orbit, with a 1.8-degreeinclination. The spacecraft will orbit the earth every96 minutes.The four Scout motors -- Algol III, Castor II,Antares II, and Altair !II -- are interlocked withsections that contain guidance, control, ignition, andinstrumentation systems, separation mechanics, and thespin motors needed to stabilize the fourth stage. Controlis achlleved by aerodynamic surfaces, jet vanes, andhydrogen peroxide jets.The launch vehicle is approximately 22 meters (73 feet)long and weighs about 21,485 kilograms (47,365 pounds) atlift-off. The four stages develop a total impulse of46,301,446 newton-seconds (10,417,825 pound-seconds).The Scout Frogram is managed by NASA's Lanqley ResearchCenter, Hampton, Va. The launch vehicle is built by LTVAerospace Corp., Dallas, Texas.

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SAS-B LAUNCH SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

Event Time (Seconds)Liftoff .oFirst stage termination 83.44Second stage ignition 83.44Second stage burnout 122.04Third stage ignition 145.85Third stage burnout 182.54Spin-up 590.00Third stage separation 591.5Fourth stage ignition 5S6.35Fourth stage burnout &orbital injection 627.97Spacecraft separation 922.15 (plus orminus 30)Separation and Despin Operations

SAS-B is attached to the Scout fourth stage by a concaladapter. This adapter contains redundant devices to time theoccurrence of despin, solar panel deployment, and spacecraftseparation from the fourth stage.Between three and six minutes after fourth stage ignitioneither or both timers will fire a pyrotechnic cable cutter.Cutting the cable releases the despin weights, and unwindingof the despin cables allows the solar blades to deploy. Thissequence of events will reduce the spin rate from about 137 rpmto about five rpm.About three minutes after the release of the despin weights,the second step of the timers will fire the separation clampbolt cutters, thus releasing the spacecraft from the fourth stage.Separation will be accomplished by three helical springsthat generate a relative velocity of almost one meter (3.3 feet)per second between the spacecraft aind the fourth stage. Now inorbit, Explorer 48 will be ready to begin its scientific mission.

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-18-SAS-B PROJECT OFFICIALS

NASA HEADQUARTERSDr. John E. Naugle Associate Administrator forSpace ScienceJesse L. Mitchell Director, Physics and Astronomy

Progr a.sJohn R. Holtz Program ManagerDr. Albert G. Opp Program ScientistLeon Dondey Program EngineerJoseph B. Mahon Director, Launch Vehicles and

Propulsion ProgramsRobert W. Manville Program Manager, Small Vehicles

and International ProjectsPaul E. Goozh Scout Program ManagerGerald M. Truszynski Associate Administrator for

Tracking and Data AcquisitionJames C. Bavely Chief of Network Operations, OTDA

GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTERDr. John F. Clark DirectorRobert E. Bourdeau Director, Space Applications

and TechnologyPaul Butler Chief, Explorer Projects OfficeMarjorie R. Townsend SAS Project AanagerDr. Carl Fichtel SAS Project Scientist and

Principal InvestigatorJohn M. Bosworth SAS Spacecraft ManagerAnthony J. Caporale SAS-B Experiment Manager

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Norman J. Piterski SAS Project Operations DirectorMaurice D. Handegard SAS Project CoordinatorCharles A. Rittler SAS Business RepresentativeThomas Ryan Tracking and Data Systems ManagerThomas A. Page SAS Quality Assurance ManagerJames A. Sunderm-ann SAS Test & Evaluation ManacerDr. Donald A. Kniffen SAS-B Co-investigatorDr. Robert C. Hartman SAS-B Co-investigatorDr. Hakki B. Ogelman SAS-B Co-investigatorStephen M. Derdeyn SAS-B Project EngineerRobert W. Ross SAS-B Detector EngineerCharles H. Ehrmann SAS-B Electronic EngineerMichael A. Calabrese SAS-B Structural EngineerWilliam J. Cruickshank SAS-B Mechanical EngineerMiss Archie L. Fitzkee SAS-B Thermal Engineer

LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTEREdgar M. Cortright DirectorRoland D. English Head, Scout Project OfficeS. J. Ailor Assistant Head, Scout Project OfficeL. R. Foster Operations EngineerC. W. Winters Head, Launch OperationsW. L. Sullivan Fluid SystemsR. P. Parks Electrical SystemsL. R. Tant Scout Payload CoordinatorR. L. Duncan Operationrs Engineer

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APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY, JOHNS HOPKINS LABORATORYHenry B. Riblet SAS Project EngineerFrederick Mobley SAS Project ScientistAEROSPACE RESEARCH CENTER (CRA), UNIVERSITY OF ROMEProfessor Luigi Broglio Director, Centro Ricerche

AerospazialiProfessor Carlo Buongiorno Centro Ricerche AerospazialiProfessor Michele Sirinian San Marco Launch Crew Director

NASA WALLOPS STATIONRobert C. Pike SAS-B Coordinator

LTV AEROSPACE CORPORATIONKen A. Gustafson Program Manager, ScoutRichard D. Urash Chief Project EngineerR.D. Fielder San Marco Field EngineerWilliam W. Campbell San Marco Project Engineer

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SAS-B FACT SHEET

Launch: From San Marco Equatorial Range,located in Formosa Bay, IndianOcean, off coast of Republic ofKenya.

Launch Rocket: Four stage, solid-fuel Scout rocketbuilt by Ling-Temco-Vought Aero-space Corp., Dallas, Texas.

Planned Orbit: Circular, equatorial orbit 555kilometers (345 statute miles)inclined less than 2 degrees witha period of 96 minutes.

Operating Lifetime: One Year.Satellite Weight: 186 kilograms (410 pounds) with

gamma ray spark chamber experimentaccounting for sliahtly over one-half of overall weight.

Main Structures: Main body consists of dome-shapedexperiment section and controlsection, 55 centimeters (2 2 inches)in diameter and about 129 centi-meters (51 inches) long.Appendages; Four paddle-shaped solar panels145 centimeters (58 inches) longand 26 centimeters (10.5 inches)wide. Xvt tips of paddles arecommand and telemetry antennas.Power System: Solar cells supply an average of27 watts power to recharge nickel-cadmium batteries.Communications and Data-Handling System:Telemetry: Pulse-Code Modulated/PhaseModulated (PCM/PM) VHF transmitterat 1000 bit per second data rate withtape recorder storage ornboard.

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