OV1-4

Last updated
OV1-4
Ov1-1.jpg
OV1 series satellite
Mission type Earth science
Operator USAF
COSPAR ID 1966-025A OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
SATCAT no. S02121
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer General Dynamics
Launch mass87.6 kg (193 lb) with Altair
Start of mission
Launch date30 Mar 1966 09:20:12 (1966-03-30UTC09:20:12) UTC
Rocket Atlas D
Launch site Vandenberg 576-B-3 [1]
Orbital parameters
Regime Low Earth Orbit
Eccentricity 0.00846
Perigee altitude 887.00 km (551.16 mi)
Apogee altitude 1,011.00 km (628.21 mi)
Inclination 144.500°
Period 104.10 minutes [2]
Epoch 1966-03-30 09:21:00
OV1
←  OV1-2
OV1-5  →

Orbiting Vehicle 1-4 (also known as OV1-4), launched 30 Mar 1966, was the fourth, and second successful, satellite in the OV1 series of the United States Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle program. OV1-4 was a long-term bioscience and materials science satellite, designed to return data relevant to long-term human presence in space. Its launch marked the first time two satellites (the other being OV1-5) were placed into orbit side by side with each other.

Contents

History

Lt. Col. Clyde Northcott, Jr., OV1 program manager Lt. Col. Clyde Northcott, Jr., OV1 program manager.jpg
Lt. Col. Clyde Northcott, Jr., OV1 program manager

The Orbiting Vehicle satellite program arose from a US Air Force initiative, begun in the early 1960s, to reduce the expense of space research. Through this initiative, satellites would be standardized to improve reliability and cost-efficiency, and where possible, they would fly on test vehicles or be piggybacked with other satellites. In 1961, the Air Force Office of Aerospace Research (OAR) created the Aerospace Research Support Program (ARSP) to request satellite research proposals and choose mission experiments. The USAF Space and Missiles Organization created their own analog of the ARSP called the Space Experiments Support Program (SESP), which sponsored a greater proportion of technological experiments than the ARSP. [3] : 417  Five distinct OV series of standardized satellites were developed under the auspices of these agencies. [3] : 425 

The OV1 series was an evolution of the 2.7 m "Scientific Passenger Pods" (SPP), which, starting on 2 October 1961, rode piggyback on suborbital Atlas missile tests and conducted scientific experiments during their short time in space. General Dynamics received a $2 million contract on 13 September 1963 to build a new version of the SPP (called the Atlas Retained Structure (ARS)) that would carry a self-orbiting satellite. Once the Atlas missile and ARS reached apogee, the satellite inside would be deployed and thrust itself into orbit. In addition to the orbital SPP, General Dynamics would create six of these satellites, each to be 3.66 m (12.0 ft) long with a diameter of .762 m (2 ft 6.0 in), able to carry a 136 kg (300 lb) payload into a circular 805 km (500 mi) orbit.

Dubbed "Satellite for Aerospace Research" (SATAR), the series of satellites was originally to be launched from the Eastern Test Range on Atlas missions testing experimental Advanced Ballistic Re-Entry System (ABRES) nosecones. However, in 1964, the Air Force transferred ABRES launches to the Western Test Range causing a year's delay for the program. Moreover, because WTR launches would be into polar orbit as opposed to the low-inclination orbits typical of ETR launches, less mass could be lofted into orbit using the same thrust, and the mass of the SATAR satellites had to be reduced. [3] : 417  The OV1 program was managed by Lt. Col. Clyde Northcott, Jr. [4]

The first OV1 satellite to be launched was OV1-1 on January 21, 1965. Though OV1-1's Atlas booster performed properly, the satellite's onboard Altair rocket did not fire, and the probe was lost. OV1-1 was the only satellite launched on an ABRES mission. Starting with OV1-3, launched and lost May 27, 1965, the remaining OV1 satellites all flew on Atlas D and F missiles that had been decommissioned from ICBM duty (except OV1-6, which flew on the Manned Orbiting Laboratory test flight on 2 November 1966). [3] : 418–422  OV1-2, the first successful satellite in the OV1 series, was launched 5 October 1965. [3] : 418–419  OV1-2 pioneered the back-to-back launch configuration under which two OV1 satellites could be carried on the same rocket, although OV1-2 flew alone. This configuration would be used in the co-launch of OV1-4 and OV1-5. [5]

Spacecraft design

OV1-4 was, like the rest of the OV1 satellite series, 1.387 m (4 ft 6.6 in) long and .69 m (2 ft 3 in) in diameter, consisting of a cylindrical experiment housing capped with flattened cones on both ends [6] containing 5000 solar cells producing 22 watts of power. Two .46 m (1 ft 6 in) antennae for transmitting telemetry and receiving commands extended from the sides of the spacecraft. 12 helium-pressurized hydrogen peroxide thrusters provided attitude control. [3] : 418 

OV1-4 weighed, with its attached Altair booster, 87.6 kg (193 lb). [2]

Experiments

OV1-4 carried an experiment package provided by the Aerospace Medical Division at Brooks Air Force Base in Texas. Two of the experiments monitored the growth and oxygen production/carbon dioxide absorption properties of several generations chlorella algae and duckweed plants. The data collected over the course of the 30-day mission was applicable to future life support systems incorporating live plants in microgravity. [3] : 419 

Another experiment investigated the thermal-control properties of various paints and metallic substances produced by the Materials Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. [3] : 419 

There was also equipment for measuring the long term radiation dose received inside the satellite [7] including a Tissue Equivalent Ionization Chamber (TEIC). [8]

Mission

Launched from Vandenberg's 576-B-3 launch pad on 30 Mar 1966 at 09:20:12 UTC via Atlas D rocket, [1] OV1-4 and the co-launched OV1-5 were the first satellites to be placed into orbit side-by-side (as opposed to serially. [9] OV1-4 and OV1-5 had similar but not identical low orbits. [10] The OV1-4 mission was successful, and several journal articles incorporating data from the radiation detecting instruments were published. [7] [11] The data from OV1-4's TEIC was compared to a similar chamber orbited on Gemini 4; it was extrapolated that astronauts traveling at OV1-4's altitude (~950 km (590 mi)) would receive 4 rads per day at a 30° inclination orbit or 1.5 rads per day at a 90° (polar) inclination orbit. [8]

Legacy and status

As of 23 March 2021, OV1-4 is still in orbit, and its position can be tracked on-line. [12]

The OV1 program ultimately comprised 22 missions, the last flying on 19 September 1971. [3] : 421 

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orbiting Vehicle</span> American satellite family

Orbiting Vehicle or OV, originally designated SATAR, comprised five disparate series of standardized American satellites operated by the US Air Force, launched between 1965 and 1971. Forty seven satellites were built, of which forty three were launched and thirty seven reached orbit. With the exception of the OV3 series and OV4-3, they were launched as secondary payloads, using excess space on other missions. This resulted in extremely low launch costs and short proposal-to-orbit times. Typically, OV satellites carried scientific and/or technological experiments, 184 being successfully orbited through the lifespan of the program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV1-1</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 1-1, was the first satellite in the OV1 series of the United States Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle program. OV1-1 was an American Earth science research satellite designed to measure radiation, micrometeoroid density, and magnetic fields in orbit. Launched 21 January 1965, the mission resulted in failure when, after a successful launch of its Atlas booster, OV1-1's onboard Altair motor failed to fire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV1-3</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 1-3, was the second satellite in the OV1 series of the United States Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle program. OV1-3 was an American life science research satellite designed to measure the effects of orbital radiation on the human body. Launched 28 May 1965, the mission resulted in failure when its Atlas booster exploded two minutes after launch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV1-2</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 1-2, launched 5 October 1965, was the third, and first successful, satellite in the OV1 series of the United States Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle program. A radiation measuring satellite designed to conduct research for the planned Manned Orbital Laboratory project, OV1-2 was the first American spacecraft to be placed into orbit on a western trajectory. The satellite stopped functioning in April 1967 after a series of technical problems starting two months after launch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV1-5</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 1-5 was launched 30 Mar 1966, and was the fifth satellite in the OV1 series of the United States Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle program. OV1-5 conducted optical experiments, surveying the Earth in the infrared spectrum to see if water, land, mountains and deserts could be distinguished by their thermal gradients. It was launched concurrently with OV1-4 in the first ever side-by-side satellite orbital deployment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV3-4</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 3-4, launched 10 June 1966, was the second satellite to be launched in the OV3 series of the United States Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle program. The satellite measured radiation above the Earth, helping to determine the hazard posed to human spaceflight at typically traveled altitudes. OV3-4 is still in orbit as of 6 June 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV1-7</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 1-7, launched 14 July 1966, was the sixth satellite launched in the OV1 series of the United States Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle program. OV1-7 was a sky science satellite, designed to return data on charged particles in orbit as well as measurements of solar X-rays and nightglow. Co-launched with OV1-8, the satellite was lost when it failed to detach from its launch rocket.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV1-8</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 1-8, launched 14 July 1966, was the seventh satellite launched in the OV1 series of the United States Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle program. OV1-8 was designed to test the passive communications utility of an aluminum grid sphere versus a balloon satellite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV3-3</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 3-3, launched 4 August 1966, was the third satellite to be launched in the OV3 series of the United States Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle program. The satellite measured charged particles in orbit so that their danger to space-based payloads could be assessed. OV3-3 is still in orbit as of 29 July 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV1-6</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 1-6 was launched via Titan IIIC rocket into orbit 2 November 1966 along with two other satellites in the United States Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle series on the first and only Manned Orbiting Laboratory test flight. The eighth satellite in the OV1 series to be launched, OV1-6 was designed to release a number of inflatable spheres, which would then be used in classified tracking experiments conducted on the ground. It is uncertain whether or not the satellite successfully released any of its spheres. OV1-6 reentered the Earth's atmosphere on 31 December 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV1-9</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 1-9, launched 11 December 1966 along with OV1-10, was the ninth satellite in the OV1 series of the United States Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle program. OV1-9 recorded low frequency radio emissions and particle radiation in Earth's exosphere; the satellite also collected data on the impact of long-term radiation on biological samples and tissue equivalents. OV1-9 returned the first proof that Earth has an electric field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV1-10</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 1-10, launched 11 December 1966 along with OV1-9, was the tenth satellite in the OV1 series of the United States Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle program. Designed to observe atmospheric airglow, X-ray and cosmic radiation, OV1-10 returned significant data on the Sun as well as on geophysical phenomena in Earth's magnetic field. OV1-10 reentered Earth's atmosphere on 30 November 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV3-5</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 3-5, launched 31 January 1967, was the fifth satellite to be launched in the OV3 series of the United States Air Force's Orbiting Vehicle program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV1-86</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 1-86 was a satellite launched 27 July 1967 to measure the temperature radiation properties of different types of terrain. Part of the OV1 series of USAF satellites, using standardized designs and sent to orbit on decommissioned Atlas ICBMs to reduce development and launching costs, OV1-86 was launched with two other satellites in the series, OV1-11 and OV1-12, in the first triple launch of the program. It was the only OV1 satellite to be cobbled together from two of its sister satellites, utilizing the unused body on OV1-8 and the unused propulsion module on OV1-6. OV1-86's was only partially successful due to the failure of its Vertistat gravity-gradient stabilization system. The satellite reentered the Earth's atmosphere on 22 February 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV1-11</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 1-11 was an American satellite launched 27 July 1967 to study a range of environmental conditions in the upper atmosphere. Part of the OV1 series of USAF satellites, using standardized designs and sent to orbit on decommissioned Atlas ICBMs to reduce development and launching costs, OV1-12 was launched with two other satellites in the series, OV1-12 and OV1-86, in the first triple launch of the program. The satellite was lost during launch when its onboard propulsion module failed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV1-12</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 1–12 was a satellite launched 27 July 1967 to measure the radiation hazard posed by solar flares. Part of the OV1 series of USAF satellites, using standardized designs and sent to orbit on decommissioned Atlas ICBMs to reduce development and launching costs, OV1-12 was launched with two other satellites in the series, OV1-11 and OV1-86, in the first triple launch of the program. Only partially successful due to an inability to remain stable in orbit, the satellite reentered the Earth's atmosphere on 22 July 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV1-13</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 1–13 was a satellite launched on 6 April 1968 to measure the level of radiation in orbit at altitudes as high as 8,000 km (5,000 mi). Part of the OV1 series of USAF satellites, using standardized designs and sent to orbit on decommissioned Atlas ICBMs to reduce development and launching costs, OV1-13 was launched side-by-side with OV1-14. The launch marked the first usage of the Atlas F in the OV program. Operating for more than a year and a half, OV1-13 mapped the grosser characteristics of the Van Allen radiation belts and contributed to the understanding of how particles flow and cause increased intensities during solar storms. As of 12 May 2023, OV1-13 is still in orbit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV1-14</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 1–14 was a satellite launched 6 April 1968 to measure electromagnetic interference and measure proton and electron flux at altitudes up to 8,000 km (5,000 mi). OV1-14 was also supposed to study the Sun in the Lyman-alpha line. Part of the OV1 series of USAF satellites, using standardized designs and sent to orbit on decommissioned Atlas ICBMs to reduce development and launching costs, OV1-14 was launched side-by-side with OV1-13. The launch marked the first usage of the Atlas F in the OV program. Unfortunately, the satellite failed after four to seven days, returning about 24 hours of usable data.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV1-15</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 1–15, launched 11 July 1968, was the first satellite to return long-term information on the density of the Earth's upper atmosphere. Part of the OV1 series of USAF satellites, using standardized designs and sent to orbit on decommissioned Atlas ICBMs to reduce development and launching costs, OV1-15 was launched via Atlas F side-by-side with OV1-16. Before its orbit decayed, causing the satellite to reenter on 8 November 1968, OV1-15 profoundly improved our knowledge of the upper atmosphere, proving that air density increased with solar activity rather than decreasing, as had been the prevailing theory to that time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OV1-16</span> US Air Force satellite

Orbiting Vehicle 1–16, was launched 11 July 1968 via Atlas F side-by-side with OV1-15. Part of the OV1 series of USAF satellites, OV1-16 was a small, extremely dense sphere, able to withstand air drag much better than a conventional satellite. Along with OV1-15, it was the first satellite to return long-term information on the density and weather patterns of the Earth's upper atmosphere to better predict satellite orbits as well as the splash-down points of reentering satellites and spacecraft. The satellite reentered the Earth's atmosphere on 19 August 1968 after 39 days in orbit.

References

  1. 1 2 McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 "OV1-4". NASA. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Powell, Joel W.; Richards, G.R. (1987). "The Orbiting Vehicle Series of Satellites". Journal of the British Interplanetary Society. Vol. 40. London: British Interplanetary Society.
  4. ↑ "The OV1-Promoter of timely space research". Proceedings of the OAR Research Applications Conference, 14 March 1967. Washington D.C.: Officer of Aerospace Research, United States Air Force. 1967.
  5. ↑ Jos Heyman (September 2010). "Intel... The Orbiting Vehicle Series (OV1)". MilsatMagazine. Satnews. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  6. ↑ Krebs, Gunter. "OV1" . Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  7. 1 2 Janni, Joseph F.; Kopf, Christopher R. (June 1974). "Measurements of Geomagnetically Trapped Radiation and Galactic Cosmic Ray Dose from the OV1-4 Satellite". Aerospace Medicine.
  8. 1 2 Cornelius A. Tobias and Paul Todd, ed. (1974). Space Radiation Biology and Related Topics Prepared Under the Direction of the American Institute of Biological Sciences for the Office of Information Services, United States Atomic Energy Commission. Academic Press Inc. pp. 68–69.
  9. ↑ Andrew LePage (21 January 2015). "Riding Piggyback on an ICBM". Drew ex Machina. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  10. ↑ William R. Corliss (1967). Scientific Satellites. Washington D.C.: Science and Technical Information Division, Office of Technology Utilization, NASA. pp. 770–1. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  11. ↑ Radke, G.; Conklin, J. (1969). "(OV1-4 search)". Aerospace Medicine. 40 (12): 1504–1508. PMID   5382194 . Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  12. ↑ "OV1-4" . Retrieved 23 March 2021.
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