NATIONAL
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.
i n t h e morning. A s t h e r o c k e t n e a r s E a r t h escape v e l o c i t y
(25,200 m i l e s an hour o r , p r e c i s e l y , seven m i l e s p e r second),
it w i l l f o l l o w t h e curve a.nd d i r e c t i o n a l s p i n o f t h e E a r t h .
When i t escapes, t h e probe immediately w i l l b e swept i n t o a
Sun o r b i t by t h e S u n ' s g r a v i t a t i o n a l f o r c e and run counter-
clockwise around t h e Sun l i k e t h e r e s t o f t h e p l a n e t s .
Imagine viewing t h e launch from a s t a t i o n a r y p l a t -
form h i g h above E a r t h and Venus. The sun would have j u s t
as i t g a i n e d v e l o c i t y . On escaping t h e E a r t h ' s p u l l , t h e
probe would be p u l l e d o b l i q u e l y away from t h e E a r t h by t h e
Sun and i n t o i t s own o r b i t .
, .. - .. . .. . . I.._I . ., __ . ..
3--. . .- . , . - .
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lieve.
To g e t some idea of t h e g r e a t d i s t a n c e s involved, a
r a d i o s i g n a l t r a n s m i t t e d over t h e 50-million mile r o u t e would
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take approximately f o u r and a h a l f m i n u t e s t o m a k e t h e t r i p .
To d a t e , t h e d i s t a n c e s w i t h i n t h e u n i v e r s e have been
computed through b a s i c laws of physics governing b o d i e s i n
motion and p l o t t i n g p o s i t i o n s a g a i n s t seemingly s t a b l e , d i s -
t a n t stars. To astronomers, t h e b a s i c u n i t of measurement
i s t h e AU o r Astronomical U n i t -- t h e mean d i s t a n c e between
E a r t h and Sun o r approximately 93 m i l l i o n m i l e s .
Most s c i e n t i s t s agree t h a t t h i s measurement i s
a c c u r a t e t o only p l u s o r minus 50,000 m i l e s , While t h i s
t o l e r a n c e may seem small when d e a l i n g w i t h m i l l i o n s and
b i l l i o n s of miles, i t i s important t o f u t u r e space missions
t o have more p r e c i s e v a l u e s . S u c c e s s f u l long range c o m u n i -
c a t i o n w i t h t h i s payload w i l l s u r e l y add t o o u r s p a t i a l
measurement knowledge, The s c i e n t i s t s should be a b l e t o
t r i a n g u l a t e between Earth and s e v e r a l s i g n a l p l o t s from t h e
probe t o g i v e u s new v a l u e s ,
The t r a n s m i t t e r , a s s o c i a t e d e l e c t r o n i c s , b a t t e r i e s and
s o l a r c e l l power supply make up more t h a n h a l f t h e p r o b e ' s
t o t a l weight, 50 of i t s o v e r a l l 90 pounds,
The power requirements o f t h e l5O-watt transmitter
w i l l make i t p o s s i b l e t o communicate a t g r e a t d i s t a n c e s w i t h
t h e payload only f i v e minutes o u t o f f i v e hours, During t h e
i n t e r v e n i n g period, s o l a r c e l l s w i l l recharge t h e p a y l o a d ' s n i c k e l -
cadmium b a t t e r i e s . P r e s e n t l y t h e d i s t a n c e r e c o r d f o r deep spae
communication i s h e l d by Pioneer I V . Tracking stations stayed
i n c o n t a c t with t h a t probe o u t t o 407,000 miles b e f o r e its
b a t t e r i e s went dead more than 80 hours a f t e r launch, Pioneer
I V d i d not contain s o l a r c e l l s .
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- . . . . ... . . ... . . .. . . . . ._ I . . .
I . . - ._ - . .....-
.
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.. ... . . . .. . .. ._ ..._ . .. . - .. .. . - . . . . .-
I .- , . - . .--.I_
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T o t a l Ra.diation Flux
An i o n i z a t i o n chamber a n d a Geiger-Mueller tube w i l l
be used t o measure t h e t o t a l r a d i a t i o n f l u x encountered. They
are p a . r t i c u l a r l y s e n s i t i v e to medium energy r a d i a t i o n . These
i n s t r u m e n t s were s u p p l i e d by the U n i v e r s i t y o f Minnesota,
The g a s - f i l l e d i o n chamber i s t o provide p a r t i c l e
energy information and t h e Geiger Mueller tube i s t o count t h e
number o f medium energy e l e c t r o n s and p r o t o n s passing through.
Together t h e i n s t r u m e n t s weigh about two pounds and r i d e i n a
four-inch square box.
Micrometeorite Counter
The micrometeorite device, developed by t h e A i r Force
Cambridge Research Center, i s t o measure t h e number and
momentum (mass t i m e s v e l o c i t y ) o f m e t e o r i c d u s t p a r t i c l e s
s t r i k i n g t h e probe. The e n t i r e u n i t weighs less than a
pound, It c o n s i s t s of a diaphragm about twice t h e s i z e o f a
p l a y i n g card, mounted on t h e payload s k i n and a microphone
i n s i d e t h e package. The n o i s e o f t h e impact i s t r a n s l a t e d
i n t o an e l e c t r i c a l impulse which i s r e l a y e d t o e a r t h .
Magnetometer
A one-pound s e a r c h c o i l magnetometer, developed by STL,
Aspect I n d i c a t o r
An eight-ounce p h o t o e l e c t r i c c e l l c a l l e d a n a.spect
i n d i c a t o r , developed by STL, i s t o t r i g g e r a. s p e c i f i c
e l e c t r i c a l impulse when i t "looks" d i r e c t l y a t the sun.
These " f i x e s " on t h e sun should make more meaningful i n -
formation from the magnetometers and r a d i a t i o n counters.
Other Instruments
I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e prime s c i e n t i f i c experiments l i s t e d ,
t h e payload c o n t a i n s a number o f amplifiers, " l o g i c " u n i t s
which transform v a r i o u s instrument s e n s i n g a c t i o n s i n t o t r a n s -
m i t t a b l e signals and a command compartment capable o f
i n i t i a t i n g some 10 payload f u n c t i o n s . Five t i n y t h e r m i s t o r s
w i l l r e c o r d temperatures, two o u t s i d e on the paddles and t h r e e
w i t h i n t h e payload.
The o v e r a l l payload weight breaks down into t w o major
headings: s t r u c t u r e s h e l l and experiments -- 40 pounds; t r a n s -
m i t t e r , e l e c t r o n i c s and power supply -- 50 pounds.
Tracking
A number o f U n i t e d S t a t e s t r a c k i n g o u t p o s t s around
t h e world w i l l t a k e p a r t i n t r a c k i n g t h i s s a t e l l i t e b u t
p r i n c i p a l command and data r e c e p t i o n p o i n t s a r e :
J o d r e l l Bank, a 250-foot p a r a b o l i c t r a c k i n g d i s h p l u s
h e l i c a l antennae a t Manchester, England, o p e r a t e d by t h e
U n i v e r s i t y o f Manchester. T h i s s t a t i o n has b o t h payload
command and t e l e m e t r y r e c e p t i o n c a p a b i l i t y ,
M i l l s t o n e H i l l , N, H., an 85-foot p a r a b o l i c d i s h ,
b u i l t and o p e r a t e d by t h e Lincoln L a b o r a t o r i e s o f t h e Massachusetts
I n s t i t u t e o f Technology, T h i s s t a t i o n w i l l be used for t e l e -
metry r e c e p t i o n and i n i t i a l launch r a d a r " s k i n - t r a c k i n g , 11
f o r commands and t e l e m e t r y r e c e p t i o n ,
Singapore, Malaya, small antenna arrays, o p e r a t e d by
STL. It w i l l be used f o r t e l e m e t r y r e c e p t i o n .
A t l a n t i c Missile Range, Cape Canaveral, F l a . a
v a r i e t y o f antennae which w i l l be used t o send s t e e r i n g
commands t o t h e second s t a g e d u r i n g launch. This station,
o p e r a t e d by STL, a l s o w i l l be used f o r e a r l y data r e c e p t i o n .
A l l of these s t a t i o n s w i l l be l i n k e d on a t e l e t y p e
- . -. . .. .. _I-..._
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Third Stage:
A solid-propellant rocket, the third stage was adapted
from the Vanguard and Able I rocket vehicles, It propels the
payload t o earth escape velocity, about 25,000 miles and hour
before separating.
Weight -- Over 500 lbs.
Thrust -- Approximately 3,000 lbs.
The third stage, which burns for about 40 seconds will
coast into a sun orbit behind the payload. Separation occurs
about 20 minutes after third-stage burnout when a set of
springs forces the third stage and payload apart,, Burned out,
the empty third-stage casing weighs about 50 pounds.
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
WASHINOTON 25, D. C.
CONTRACTORS
Second Stage
1, Propulsion system and tanks -- Aerojet-General
Corporation, a division of General Tire and Rubber Co.
2, Control, electrical, instrumentation, engine shutoff,
and spin rocket systems -- STL.
3, Assembly, integration, and checkout -- STL.
T h i r d Stage
PROJECT O F F I C I A L S
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