BIRD

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Bird

Class: Earth. Type: Landsat. Nation: Germany.

BIRD (Bispectral IR Detector) was a 94 kg German research minisatellite testing a new sensor for Earth imaging studies, detecting forest fires and other hot spots and studying vegetation changes. The technology demonstrator was to help in the design a major remote sensing array of infrared detectors.

Mass: 94 kg (207 lb).

BIRD Chronology

2001 October 22 - BIRD - Launch Site: Sriharikota. Launch Complex: PSLV. Launch Vehicle: PSLV. Mass: 1,108 kg (2,442 lb). Perigee: 551 km (342 mi). Apogee: 580 km (360 mi). Inclination: 97.80 deg.
BIRD (Bispectral IR Detector) was a 94 kg German research minisatellite testing a new sensor for Earth imaging studies, detecting forest fires and other hot spots and studying vegetation changes. BIRD was released by the PS4 upper stage 40 seconds after the primary TES satellite payload had been deployed. The technology demonstrator was to help in the design a major remote sensing array of infrared detectors.

Bibliography:

McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page (launch records), Harvard University, 1997-present. Web Address when accessed: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
National Space Science Center Planetary Page, As of 19 February 1999.. Web Address when accessed: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/planetary_home.html.

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