ANNA 1B

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ANNA 1B
ANNA 1B.jpg
Photo of ANNA 1B
Mission type Geodetic research
Operator Department of Defense  / NASA
COSPAR ID 1962-060A OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
SATCAT no. 00446
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer Applied Physics Laboratory [1]
Launch mass161 kilograms (355 lb)
Start of mission
Launch dateOctober 31, 1962, 08:03:00 (1962-10-31UTC08:03Z) UTC
Rocket Thor-DM21 Able Star
Launch site Cape Canaveral LC-17A
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Semi-major axis 7,505.0 kilometers (4,663.4 mi)
Perigee altitude 1,081.6 kilometers (672.1 mi)
Apogee altitude 1,186.7 kilometers (737.4 mi)
Inclination 50.1°
Period 107.8 minutes [2]

ANNA 1B (acronym for "Army, Navy, NASA, Air Force") was a United States satellite launched on October 31, 1962, from Cape Canaveral, on a Thor-Ablestar rocket. [3]

Contents

Features

ANNA 1B track on photography taken by Santiago (Chile) MOTS station on November 11, 1962 ANNA 1B track.png
ANNA 1B track on photography taken by Santiago (Chile) MOTS station on November 11, 1962

ANNA 1B's predecessor launched on May 10, 1962, but failed to reach orbit. [4]

ANNA 1B was a US Navy geodetic satellite launched from Cape Canaveral by a Thor Able Star rocket. The mission profile involved ANNA serving as a reference for making precise geodetic surveys, allowing measurement of the force and direction of the gravity field of Earth, locating the middle of land masses and establishing surface positions.

ANNA 1B was spherically shaped with a diameter of 0.91 meters and a weight of 161 kg. It was powered by a band of solar cells around its equator supported by nickel-cadmium batteries. A communications antenna was wrapped around the spiral surface of the satellite.

The ship's instrumentation included optical systems, radio location, and Doppler radar. [5] The optical system consists of a high intensity beacon which transmits a series of five flashes with a period of 5.6 seconds. This allowed one to accurately measure land masses by ground-to-sky satellite photographs (optical tracking or stellar triangulation). The Doppler radar system could also be programmed from the ground control station allowing geopositioning with an accuracy of 20 meters or less.

References

  1. ↑ Mark Wade. "Anna". Astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 2013-11-08. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  2. ↑ N2YO. Real Time Satellite Tracking. "ANNA 1B". N2yo.com. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  3. ↑ Harris; Berbert (January 1966). NASA TD D-3174 NASA/MOTS OPTICAL OBSERVATIONS OF THE ANNA IB SATELLITE (PDF). NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION. pp. ii.
  4. ↑ NASA. "ANNA1". Nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  5. ↑ "Chapter VI - SATELLITE GEODESY". GEODESY FOR THE LAYMAN. DEFENSE MAPPING AGENCY. 16 March 1984.

Bibliography


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