Orbiting Solar Observatory - 1 (OSO-1) Engineering Prototype
The Orbiting Solar Observatory (OSO) series was the earliest of
the spin stabilized scientific satellites. OSO-1 was launched
on March 7, 1962 to study the sun in the ultraviolet, x-ray and
gamma-ray regions of the spectrum. Sun sensors connected to
servo-feedback systems on the upper "sail" portion were
designed to keep the pointed instruments (75 pound payload) to
within +/- 1 minute of arc on the center of the sun. The lower
spinning portion carried some 100 pounds of instruments and
rotated once every two seconds, allowing those instruments to
scan the solar disk and atmosphere. The OSO had three
protruding arms that extended after deployment which gave the
system greater axial stability. Among many observations by the
battery of instruments on OSO was that the sun's corona had
openings, now called coronal holes, which were interpreted as
huge fast-moving bubbles rising through the corona. Ball
Aerospace Systems Division restored the OSO-I engineering
prototype in 1982 af ter it was transferred from NASA in 1981.
For additional information, link to
"http://www.nasm.si.edu/nasm/dsh/artifacts/SS-OSO1.htm"
[Summary provided by the Smithsonian, National Air and Space Museum]
Group: Platform_Details
Entry_ID: SOLRAD-1
Group: Platform_Identification
Platform_Category: Solar/Space Observation Satellites
Platform_Series_or_Entity: SOLRAD
Short_Name: SOLRAD-1
Long_Name: Solar Radiation-1
End_Group
Group: Synonymous_Platform_Names
Short_Name: solrad-1
End_Group
Creation_Date: 2007-01-14
Online_Resource: http://www.nasm.si.edu/nasm/dsh/artifacts/SS-OSO1.htm
Sample_Image: http://www.weltraumforschung.de/Images/solrad1.jpg
Group: Platform_Logistics
Launch_Date: 1962-03-07
Primary_Sponsor: United States Department of Defense
End_Group
End_Group (en)