 | |
| Mission type | Solar-terrestrial research |
|---|---|
| Operator | ISAS |
| COSPAR ID | 1975-014A |
| SATCAT no. | 7671 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Nippon Electric Company |
| Launch mass | 86 kg |
| Dimensions | 0.75 m × 0.65 m (diameter × height) |
| Power | 15 watts |
| Expedition | |
| Ended | June 29, 1980 |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | February 24, 1975, 05:25 UTC |
| Rocket | M-3C No. 2 |
| Launch site | Kagoshima Space Center |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth/Medium Earth |
| Periapsis altitude | 260 km |
| Apoapsis altitude | 3,140 km |
| Inclination | 31.54° |
| Period | 120 minutes |
Solar Radiation and Thermospheric Satellite (SRATS), also knows as Taiyo ("Sun" in Japanese) or Shinsei-3, [1] was a space probe developed by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) at the University of Tokyo. The probe was launched on February 24, 1975, from Kagoshima Space Center by M-3C-2 rocket. Its mission was focused on upper atmospheric physics, X-ray and UV solar radiation, and the Earth's ionosphere. Taiyo completed its mission before re-entering Earth's atmosphere on June 29, 1980. [2]
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The satellite had a shape of octagonal cylinder (or prism), weighing 86 kg. It orbited the Earth in an elliptical orbit with a periapsis of 260 km and an apoapsis of 3,140 km, at a 32-degree inclination. The satellite's primary goal was to investigate solar X-rays, ultraviolet radiation, and the distribution of ions and electrons in the Earth's upper atmosphere. [2] [3]
