Student Nitric Oxide Explorer

Student Nitric Oxide Explorer

SNOE satellite
Names Explorer-72, STEDI-1
Mission type Study of the thermosphere
Operator NASA
COSPAR ID 1998-012A
SATCAT № 25223
Website lasp.colorado.edu/snoe/mission/index.html
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer University of Colorado
Launch mass 120 kg (260 lb)
Power 37 W
Start of mission
Launch date February 26, 1998, 07:07 (1998-02-26UTC07:07Z) UTC[1]
Rocket Pegasus XL HAPS F20
Launch site Vandenberg L-1011
End of mission
Disposal Decommissioned
Decay date December 13, 2003 (2003-12-14Z)
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Sun-synchronous
Semi-major axis 0.00324
Eccentricity 0.0003629
Perigee 535 km (332 mi)
Apogee 580 km (360 mi)
Inclination 97.97°
Period 95.80 minutes
Explorer program
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SNOE (Student Nitric Oxide Explorer) - or Explorer 72 or STEDI 1 - was a small scientific satellite Explorer program NASA launched in 1998 and for the study of nitric oxide in the thermosphere. The satellite is the first of three projects developed within the university satellite program (STEDI) funded by NASA. The satellite developed by the University of Colorado has met its goals and mission ended with reentry held December 13, 2003.

Background

SNOE is the 72th mission of the Explorer program from NASA dedicated to the scientific investigation of the space environment of the Earth. SNOE is the first of three projects developed within the university satellite program (STEDI) whose objective is to reach students in the development of satellites with limited means in the context of the strategy of "faster, better, and cheaper "(faster, better and cheaper") promoted by the NASA administrator Daniel Goldin. The program is funded by NASA and managed by the Universities Space Research Association. the project by the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1994 was selected among 66 proposals to be part of the 6 pre selected satellites. In February 1995 the satellite is selected with TERRIERS of Boston University and CATSAT of the University of Leicester in the UK. SNOE is built entirely by the laboratory space and atmospheric physics of the university.

Objectives

The objective of the mission is the detailed study of variations in the concentration of nitrogen monoxide in the thermosphere. Nitric oxide though minor component of this region of space has a significant impact on the composition of ions in the ionosphere and in the heat of the thermosphere. The detailed objectives are:

Specifications

SNOE has a hexagonal compact structure 0.9 meters high and one meter wide maximum with a mass of 120 kg. It is SPINNE to 5 rpm. Its axis of rotation is perpendicular to the orbital plane. Satellite walls are covered with solar cells that provide 37 watts.[2]

Scientific instrumentation

SNOE embarks scientifics three instruments:

The satellite features a GPS receiver to accurately determine its orbit and orientation.

Conduct of the mission

SNOE was launched on 26 February 1998 by a Pegasus-XL rocket from the launch pad at Vandenberg AFB and placed on a sun-synchronous orbit of 530–580 km altitude with an inclination of 97.7 degrees. The satellite is working normally until later reentry intervening 13 December 2003.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "SNOE - Trajectory Details". National Space Science Data Center. NASA. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  2. ↑ Stanley C. Salomon, «The Student Nitric Oxide Explorer», SPIE
  3. ↑ NASA. SNOE. Nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
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