ATS-4

ATS-4

The ATS-4.
Mission type Weather Satellite
Operator NASA
COSPAR ID 1968-068A
SATCAT № 03344
Mission duration 38 days
Spacecraft properties
Bus HS-306
Manufacturer Hughes Aircraft
Launch mass 391 kilograms (862 lb)
Power 130 W
Start of mission
Launch date August 10, 1968, 22:33:00 (1968-08-10UTC22:33Z) UTC
Rocket Atlas-SLV3C Agena-D
Launch site Cape Canaveral LC-36A
End of mission
Disposal August 10,1968
Decay date October 17, 1968 (1968-10-18)
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime LEO
Eccentricity 0.03698
Perigee 219 kilometres (136 mi)
Apogee 726 kilometres (451 mi)
Inclination 29.4º
Period 93.92 minutes

ATS-4 (Applications Technology Satellite) was a communications satellite launched by NASA on August 10, 1968 from Cape Canaveral through an Atlas-Agena D rocket.

Objectives

The objective of ATS-4 was to investigate the possibilities of a gravity gradient stabilization system (the method of stabilizing artificial satellites).

Features

The satellite has a cylindrical shape with a 142cm diameter and 183cm (about 360 cm considering the motor cover) with the surface covered by solar panels, and stabilized by gravity gradient.

Instruments

A total of four experiments were conducted during the mission:

Mission

The ATS-4 launch vehicle failed in the ignition, resulting in an unplanned low elliptical orbit. The stress resulting from this orbit precipitated the fall of the spacecraft, yet, still achieved good results in some of the experiments. The primary objective to put a spacecraft stabilized by gravity gradient in orbit was not reached. The satellite reentered the atmosphere on 17 October 1968.

External links

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