Gravity Gradient Technology Satellite

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Gravity Gradient Test Satellite (GGTS)
Gravity Gradient Technology Satellite (GGTS).jpg
Gravity Gradient Technology Satellite (GGTS)
Mission type Gravity-gradient stabilization
Operator United States Air Force
COSPAR ID 1966-053A OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
SATCAT no. 2207 [1]
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass47 kilograms (104 lb)
Start of mission
Launch dateJune 16, 1966 (1966-06-16Z) 14:00:01 UTC
Rocket Titan IIIC
Launch site Cape Canaveral LC41
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Geosynchronous
Perigee altitude 33,663 kilometers (20,917 mi)
Apogee altitude 33,858 kilometers (21,038 mi)
Inclination 4.2°
Period 1,334.00 minutes [2]

The Gravity Gradient Test Satellite was launched by the US Air Force from Cape Canaveral LC41 aboard a Titan IIIC rocket on June 16, 1966, at 14:00:01 UTC. [3] The satellite was launched along with seven IDCSP satellites, with which it shared a bus. [4] In contrast to the solar-powered IDCSP satellites, GGTS was battery powered. [4]

GGTS utilized the 26.4-pound (12.0 kg) Magnetically Anchored Gravity Systems (MACS), which consisted of two identical subsystem packages, each containing an extensible rod unit and a magnetically anchored spherical viscous damper. [5] The rod units had an extended length of 15.8 meters (52 ft), [5] and their 5-kilogram (11 lb) damper tip weights gave the satellite a symmetric dumbbell configuration. [5] The dampers were produced by General Electric and consisted of two concentric spheres separated by a viscous damping fluid. [5] The internal sphere contained a hollow cylindrical magnet which served to "anchor' the inner sphere to the Earth's magnetic field, [5] stabilizing the satellite over time. [4]

It had been hoped that within 60 days of launch, the satellite would reach a stabilization of ±8° on the x- and y-axis. [4] The results were compromised, as one of the dampers was magnetically contaminated. [4]

A follow-up GGTS mission was lost due to a launch vehicle failure on August 28, 1966. [4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "GGTS 1". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
  2. ↑ "GGTS". Astronautix. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  3. ↑ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathon's Space Report. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "GGTS 1,2". Gunter's Space Report. Retrieved 22 Nov 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Weygandt, P.; Moyer, R. (August 1966). Attitude Control for the Gravity Gradient Test Satellite . Guidance and Control Conference. doi:10.2514/6.1966-1821 – via American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
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