Explorer 8
From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
| Mission type | Earth science |
|---|---|
| Operator | NASA |
| Harvard designation | 1960 Xi 1 |
| SATCAT № | 60 |
| Mission duration | 54 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
| Launch mass | 40.88 kilograms (90.1 lb) |
| Power | 100.0 watts |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | November 3, 1960, 05:23:10 UTC |
| Rocket | Juno II |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral LC-26B |
| End of mission | |
| Last contact | December 27, 1960 |
| Decay date | March 28, 2012 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Medium Earth |
| Semi-major axis | 7,722.00 kilometers (4,798.23 mi) |
| Eccentricity | 0.12108247 |
| Perigee | 416 kilometers (258 mi) |
| Apogee | 2,286 kilometers (1,420 mi) |
| Inclination | 49.9 degrees |
| Period | 112.7 minutes |
| Epoch | 5 December 1960[1] |
Explorer 8 was a U.S. research satellite launched on November 3, 1960. It confirmed the existence of a helium layer in the upper atmosphere.[2] Explorer 8 decayed from orbit on 28 March 2012.
A replica is on display at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.[3]
References
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