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NASA Langley

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AKA: Langley Research Center;LaRC;NASA.

• Ogive Stab. test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 4.00 km (2.40 mi).

• Blunt cone Stab. test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 6.00 km (3.70 mi).

• Beacon Test 4 Satellite test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 122 km (75 mi).

• F40 Heat transfer test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 45 km (27 mi).

• E60 Echo spacecraft test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 400 km (240 mi).

• Teflon nose Re-entry vehicle test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 120 km (70 mi).

• E60 Echo spacecraft test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 413 km (256 mi).

• E60 Echo spacecraft test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 400 km (240 mi).

• E60 Echo spacecraft test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 400 km (240 mi).

• E60 Echo spacecraft test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 400 km (240 mi).

• Glide Rocket Re-entry Vehicle test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 27 km (16 mi).

• Teflon nose Re-entry vehicle test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 120 km (70 mi).

• Parachute test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley, US Army. Apogee: 65 km (40 mi).

• Parachute test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley, US Army. Apogee: 65 km (40 mi).

• Parachute test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley, US Army. Apogee: 65 km (40 mi).

• Arcas-Margo (Meteor) re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 51 km (31 mi).

• Explorer 19 - . Payload: ADE A. Mass: 7.00 kg (15.40 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Program: Explorer. Class: Earth. Type: Atmosphere satellite. Spacecraft: ADE. Decay Date: 1981-05-10 . USAF Sat Cat: 714 . COSPAR: 1963-053A. Apogee: 2,391 km (1,485 mi). Perigee: 597 km (370 mi). Inclination: 78.60 deg. Period: 115.90 min.

  In its first NASA use from Vandenberg AFB a Scout rocket (#122) was successfully launched. The 18-pound Explorer 19 atmosphere density satellite was successfully injected into orbit. 12 foot dia. balloon; identical to Explorer 9; atmospheric density studies. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).

• Echo 2 - . Payload: Echo C A-12. Mass: 256 kg (564 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Class: Technology. Type: Communications technology satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Echo. Spacecraft: Echo 2. Decay Date: 1969-06-07 . USAF Sat Cat: 740 . COSPAR: 1964-004A. Apogee: 1,315 km (817 mi). Perigee: 1,030 km (640 mi). Inclination: 81.50 deg. Period: 108.80 min. Passive commsat; balloon; 1st joint US/USSR space mission. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). .

• Explorer 23 - . Payload: S-55C. Mass: 134 kg (295 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Program: Explorer. Class: Earth. Type: Micrometeoroid satellite. Spacecraft: S-55. Decay Date: 1983-06-29 . USAF Sat Cat: 924 . COSPAR: 1964-074A. Apogee: 980 km (600 mi). Perigee: 463 km (287 mi). Inclination: 51.90 deg. Period: 99.20 min. Micrometeoroid data. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). .

• Explorer 24 - . Payload: ADE B. Mass: 9.00 kg (19.80 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Program: Explorer. Class: Earth. Type: Atmosphere satellite. Spacecraft: ADE. Decay Date: 1968-10-18 . USAF Sat Cat: 931 . COSPAR: 1964-076A. Apogee: 2,498 km (1,552 mi). Perigee: 530 km (320 mi). Inclination: 81.40 deg. Period: 116.30 min. 12 foot dia. balloon; atmospheric density studies. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). .

• Explorer 25 - . Payload: Injun 4. Mass: 40 kg (88 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Program: Explorer. Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere satellite. Spacecraft: Injun. USAF Sat Cat: 932 . COSPAR: 1964-076B. Apogee: 2,319 km (1,440 mi). Perigee: 526 km (326 mi). Inclination: 81.30 deg. Period: 114.30 min. Radiation data. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). .

• SECOR 5 (EGRS 5) - . Payload: SEV / FW4S. Mass: 24 kg (52 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Class: Earth. Type: Geodetic satellite. Spacecraft: SECOR. USAF Sat Cat: 1506 . COSPAR: 1965-063A. Apogee: 2,419 km (1,503 mi). Perigee: 1,134 km (704 mi). Inclination: 69.20 deg. Period: 122.20 min. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). .

• Apollo test re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 23 km (14 mi).

• Pageos 1 - . Payload: Pageos A. Mass: 55 kg (121 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Class: Earth. Type: Geodetic satellite. Spacecraft: Pageos. Decay Date: 1975-07-12 . USAF Sat Cat: 2253 . COSPAR: 1966-056A. Apogee: 4,220 km (2,620 mi). Perigee: 3,913 km (2,431 mi). Inclination: 85.40 deg. Period: 177.10 min.

  The PAGEOS (Passive Geodetic Earth Orbiting Satellite) spacecraft was a 30.48-m inflatable sphere, and had no instrumentation on board. It was the second (following GEOS 1) NASA satellite in the National Geodetic Satellites Program. The launch, orbit, separation, inflation and initial operation were nominal, with more than 40 ground stations participating in the observation program. The orbit was generally considered too high for drag-density study, although some work was done in this area by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Additional Details: here....

• Pageos canister half - . Payload: Pageos canister half. Mass: 55 kg (121 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Spacecraft: Pageos. USAF Sat Cat: 2511 . COSPAR: 1966-056D. Apogee: 4,255 km (2,643 mi). Perigee: 4,227 km (2,626 mi). Inclination: 87.00 deg. Period: 181.50 min.

• Pageos canister half - . Payload: Pageos canister half. Mass: 55 kg (121 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Spacecraft: Pageos. USAF Sat Cat: 2256 . COSPAR: 1966-056C. Apogee: 4,276 km (2,656 mi). Perigee: 4,196 km (2,607 mi). Inclination: 86.90 deg. Period: 181.40 min.

• Lunar Orbiter 1 - . Payload: Lunar Orbiter A. Mass: 386 kg (850 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Class: Moon. Type: Lunar probe. Spacecraft: Lunar Orbiter. Decay Date: 1966-10-29 . USAF Sat Cat: 2394 . COSPAR: 1966-073A.

  Lunar Orbiter I was launched from Cape Kennedy Launch Complex 13 at 3:26 p.m. EDT August 10 to photograph possible Apollo landing sites from lunar orbit. The Atlas-Agena D launch vehicle injected the spacecraft into its planned 90-hour trajectory to the moon. A midcourse correction maneuver was made at 8 p.m. the next day; a planned second midcourse maneuver was not necessary. A faultless deboost maneuver on August 14 achieved the desired initial elliptic orbit around the moon, and one week later the spacecraft was commanded to make a transfer maneuver to place it in a final close-in elliptic orbit of the moon.

  During the spacecraft's stay in the final close-in orbit, the gravitational fields of the earth and the moon were expected to influence the orbital elements. The influence was verified by spacecraft tracking data, which showed that the perilune altitude varied with time. From an initial perilune altitude of 58 kilometers, the perilune decreased to 49 kilometers. At this time an orbit adjustment maneuver began an increase in the altitude, which was expected to reach a maximum after three months and then begin to decrease again. The spacecraft was expected to impact on the lunar surface about six months after the orbit adjustment.

  During the photo-acquisition phase of the flight, August 18 to 29, Lunar Orbiter I photographed the 9 selected primary potential Apollo landing sites, including the one in which Surveyor I landed; 7 other potential Apollo landing sites; the east limb of the moon; and 11 areas on the far side of the moon. Lunar Orbiter I also took photos of the earth, giving man the first view of the earth from the vicinity of the moon (this particular view has been widely publicized). A total of 207 frames (sets of medium- and high-resolution pictures) were taken, 38 while the spacecraft was in initial orbit, the remainder while it was in the final close-in orbit. Lunar Orbiter I achieved its mission objectives, and, with the exception of the high-resolution camera, the performance of the photo subsystem and other spacecraft subsystems was outstanding. At the completion of the photo readouts, the spacecraft had responded to about 5,000 discrete commands from the earth and had made about 700 maneuvers.

  Photographs obtained during the mission were assessed and screened by representatives of the Lunar Orbiter Project Office, U.S. Geological Survey, DOD mapping agencies, MSC, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The spacecraft was deliberately crashed into moon after the mission was completed.

• Velocity package re-entry vehicle test flight - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 23 km (14 mi).

• Lunar Orbiter 2 - . Payload: Lunar Orbiter B. Mass: 390 kg (850 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Class: Moon. Type: Lunar probe. Spacecraft: Lunar Orbiter. Decay Date: 1967-10-11 . USAF Sat Cat: 2534 . COSPAR: 1966-100A.

  Lunar Orbiter II was launched at 6:21 p.m. EST from Launch Complex 13 at Cape Kennedy, to photograph possible landing sites on the moon for the Apollo program. The Atlas-Agena D booster placed the spacecraft in an earth-parking orbit and, after a 14-minute coast, injected it into its 94-hour trajectory toward the moon. A midcourse correction maneuver on November 8 increased the velocity from 3,051 to 3,133 kilometers per hour. At that time the spacecraft was 265,485 kilometers from the earth.

  The spacecraft executed a deboost maneuver at 3:26 p.m., November 10, while 352,370 kilometers from the earth and 1,260 kilometers from the moon and traveling at a speed of 5,028 kilometers per hour. The maneuver permitted the lunar gravitational field to pull the spacecraft into the planned initial orbit around the moon. On November 15, a micrometeoroid hit was detected by one of the 20 thin-walled pressurized sensors.

  The spacecraft was transferred into its final close-in orbit around the moon at 5:58 p.m. November 15 and the photo-acquisition phase of Lunar Orbiter II's mission began November 18. Thirteen selected primary potential landing sites and a number of secondary sites were to be photographed. By the morning of November 25, the spacecraft had taken 208 of the 211 photographs planned and pictures of all 13 selected potential landing sites. It also made 205 attitude change maneuvers and responded to 2,421 commands.

  The status report of the Lunar Orbiter II mission as of November 28 indicated that the first phase of the photographic mission was completed when the final photo was taken on the afternoon of November 25. On November 26, the developing web was cut with a hot wire in response to a command from the earth. Failure to achieve the cut would have prevented the final readout of all 211 photos. Readout began immediately after the cut was made. One day early, December 6, the readout terminated when a transmitter failed, and three medium-resolution and two high-resolution photos of primary site 1 were lost. Full low-resolution coverage of the site had been provided, however, and other data continued to be transmitted. Three meteoroid hits had been detected.

• Lunar Orbiter 3 - . Payload: Lunar Orbiter C. Mass: 385 kg (848 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Class: Moon. Type: Lunar probe. Spacecraft: Lunar Orbiter. Decay Date: 1967-10-09 . USAF Sat Cat: 2666 . COSPAR: 1967-008A. Crashed into Moon; returned 182 photos of lunar surface. Selenocentric orbit. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B)..

• Lunar Orbiter 4 - . Payload: Lunar Orbiter D. Mass: 390 kg (850 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Class: Moon. Type: Lunar probe. Spacecraft: Lunar Orbiter. Decay Date: 1967-10-06 . USAF Sat Cat: 2772 . COSPAR: 1967-041A. Returned 163 photos of lunar surface before impacting Moon. Selenocentric orbit. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B)..

• Lunar Orbiter 5 - . Payload: Lunar Orbiter E. Mass: 389 kg (857 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Class: Moon. Type: Lunar probe. Spacecraft: Lunar Orbiter. Decay Date: 1968-01-31 . USAF Sat Cat: 2907 . COSPAR: 1967-075A.

  Lunar Orbiter V was launched from the Eastern Test Range at 6:33 p.m. EDT August 1. The Deep Space Net Tracking Station at Woomera, Australia, acquired the spacecraft about 50 minutes after liftoff. Signals indicated that all systems were performing normally and that temperatures were within acceptable limits. At 12:48 p.m. EDT August 5, Lunar Orbiter V executed a deboost maneuver that placed it in orbit around the moon. The spacecraft took its first photograph of the moon at 7:22 a.m. EDT August 6. Before it landed on the lunar surface on January 31, 1968, Lunar Orbiter V had photographed 23 previously unphotographed areas of the moon's far side, the first photo of the full earth, 36 sites of scientific interest, and 5 Apollo sites for a total of 425 photos.

• Explorer 39 - . Payload: ADE C. Mass: 9.00 kg (19.80 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Program: Explorer. Class: Earth. Type: Atmosphere satellite. Spacecraft: ADE. Decay Date: 1981-06-22 . USAF Sat Cat: 3337 . COSPAR: 1968-066A. Apogee: 2,538 km (1,577 mi). Perigee: 670 km (410 mi). Inclination: 80.70 deg. Period: 118.30 min. Air Density Explorer; atmospheric density and temperature data. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). .

• Explorer 40 - . Payload: Injun E. Mass: 70 kg (154 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Program: Explorer. Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere satellite. Spacecraft: Injun. USAF Sat Cat: 3338 . COSPAR: 1968-066B. Apogee: 2,489 km (1,546 mi). Perigee: 679 km (421 mi). Inclination: 80.70 deg. Period: 117.80 min. Injun Explorer; radiation data. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). .

• Aeronomy mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 135 km (83 mi).

• Stokes Flow Parachute test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 63 km (39 mi).

• Stokes Flow Parachute test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 69 km (42 mi).

• Stokes Flow Parachute test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 74 km (45 mi).

• Stokes Flow Parachute test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 70 km (43 mi).

• Explorer 46 - . Payload: Meteoroid Technology Satellite. Mass: 136 kg (299 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Program: Explorer. Class: Earth. Type: Micrometeoroid satellite. Spacecraft: MTS. Decay Date: 1979-11-02 . USAF Sat Cat: 6142 . COSPAR: 1972-061A. Apogee: 811 km (503 mi). Perigee: 492 km (305 mi). Inclination: 37.70 deg. Period: 97.70 min. Micrometeoroid tests. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). .

• Aeronomy mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 35 km (21 mi).

• Explorer 52 - . Payload: Hawkeye. Mass: 27 kg (59 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Program: Explorer. Class: Astronomy. Type: Solar satellite. Spacecraft: Hawkeye. Decay Date: 1978-04-30 . USAF Sat Cat: 7325 . COSPAR: 1974-040A. Apogee: 125,569 km (78,024 mi). Perigee: 469 km (291 mi). Inclination: 89.00 deg. Period: 3,032.00 min. Solar wind experiments. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B). .

• Viking 1 Lander - . Payload: Viking 1. Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Class: Mars. Type: Mars probe. Spacecraft: Viking. Decay Date: 1976-07-20 . USAF Sat Cat: 9024 . COSPAR: 1975-075C.

  A Titan HIE carrying a Viking payload was successfully launched from LC-41, Eastern Test Range. This was the first flight of a new oxydizer accumulator developed for the HIE. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).

• Viking 2 Lander - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Class: Mars. Type: Mars probe. Spacecraft: Viking. Decay Date: 1976-08-31 . USAF Sat Cat: 9408 . COSPAR: 1975-083C.

  A Titan HIE carrying a Viking payload was successfully launched from LC-41, Eastern Test Range. This was the first flight of a new Command Receiver Set. A fire occurred at the launch site following launch and caused $2 million damage to the Aerospace Ground Equipment building. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B).

• Aeronomy mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 71 km (44 mi).

• Ionosphere mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 71 km (44 mi).

• Aeronomy mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 71 km (44 mi).

• Aeronomy mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 57 km (35 mi).

• Ionosphere mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 71 km (44 mi).

• Aeronomy mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 72 km (44 mi).

• LDEF - . Payload: Challenger F5 / LDEF 1. Mass: 3,625 kg (7,991 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Class: Earth. Type: Micrometeoroid satellite. Spacecraft: LDEF. Decay Date: 1990-01-20 . USAF Sat Cat: 14898 . COSPAR: 1984-034B. Apogee: 348 km (216 mi). Perigee: 344 km (213 mi). Inclination: 28.50 deg. Period: 91.50 min. Long Duration Exposure Facility; deployed from STS 41C 7 April 1984; retrieved by STS-32 20 January 1990. Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space (US Cat B)..

• IRVE Support - . Mass: 90 kg (198 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley.

• NASA 12.068GT - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Langley. Apogee: 90 km (55 mi). Test.