Lofti
Spacecraft · USA
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
Credit: US Navy
American communications technology satellite. The Low Frequency Trans-Ionospheric (LOFTI) satellites were produced as a cooperative effort with the Radio Division.
Launched in 1961 and 1962, LOFTI attempted to determine whether very low frequency (VLF) energy could penetrate through the ionosphere and be received by submerged submarines. The satellites demonstrated that under many ionospheric conditions VLF signals were extremely attenuated and could not be detected, making them unreliable for submarine communication.
Subtopics
- LOFTI 1, 2 Research satellite built by Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) for Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) / US Navy, USA. Launched 1961 - 1962.
Related
- Country
- USA
- Launch Vehicles
- Thor, Delta, Thor Ablestar, Thor Agena D
- Launch Sites
- Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg, Cape Canaveral LC17B, Vandenberg SLC2E
Chronology
2 events
1961 February 22
03:45 GMT - . Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC17B. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Ablestar.1963 June 15
14:29 GMT - . Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: Vandenberg SLC2E. LV Family: Thor. Launch Vehicle: Thor Agena D.- Lofti 2A - . Mass: 26 kg (57 lb). Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Class: Technology. Type: Communications technology satellite. Spacecraft: Lofti. Decay Date: 1963-07-18 . USAF Sat Cat: 601 . COSPAR: 1963-021B. Apogee: 876 km (544 mi). Perigee: 170 km (100 mi). Inclination: 69.90 deg. Period: 95.10 min. VLF experiments. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). .