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astronautix.com OV1

OV1
OV1 -

Credit: USAF. 33,780 bytes. 339 x 296 pixels.



Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere. Nation: USA. Agency: U.S. Air Force. Manufacturer: Convair.

The OV1, originally called SATAR, was designed to carry a variety of scientific experiments into orbit in a special pod on the Atlas booster when the lift capability of the Atlas was not fully utilised by other experiments thus providing an economical satellite with "bonus" experiments. The OV1 had its own propulsion system which was fired after the satellite was ejected from the booster vehicle. The OVl remained inside the Atlas-retained structure during the Atlas flight to protect it from aerodynamics loading and heating. The space vehicle coasted for about 8 minutes in space as pre-programmed attitude control manoeuvres were performed on command of the propulsion module guidance system to position it for firing of its solid-fuelled motor. OV1 could be launched singly on the side of Atlas or in dual pods on the booster nose. Once in space, it could attain near-circular or highly elliptical earth orbits, high altitude probes or high velocity re-entry missions. Each OV1 could carry a 36 kg payload. Total mass on the Atlas was 1,113 kg for the dual pod load. The satellite was 1.40 m long and 0.68 m in diameter. Contracting agency was the USAF's Office of Aerospace Research. Prime Contractor was Convair Division of General Dynamics Corporation. Associate Contractor was Allegheny Ballistics Laboratory (propulsion system).


Specification

Total Length: 1.4 m. Maximum Diameter: 0.7 m. Total Mass: 555 kg. Total Payload: 36 kg.


OV1 Chronology


21 January 1965 OV1-1 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. FAILURE: Failure.
28 May 1965 OV1-03 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. FAILURE: Failure.
05 October 1965 OV1-02 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Mass: 86 kg. Perigee: 408 km. Apogee: 2,735 km. Inclination: 144.2 deg.

Radiation data. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).


30 March 1966 OV1-04 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Mass: 88 kg. Perigee: 884 km. Apogee: 1,008 km. Inclination: 144.5 deg.

Thermal control experiments. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).


14 July 1966 OV1-07 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. FAILURE: Partial Failure. Mass: 10 kg. Perigee: 985 km. Apogee: 1,022 km. Inclination: 144.2 deg.

Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).


03 November 1966 OV1-06S Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. Mass: 202 kg. Perigee: 287 km. Apogee: 290 km. Inclination: 32.8 deg.

Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).


11 December 1966 OV1-10 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. Mass: 130 kg. Perigee: 541 km. Apogee: 604 km. Inclination: 93.4 deg.

Radiation data. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).


27 July 1967 OV1-12S Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Atlas D. FAILURE: Partial Failure. Mass: 140 kg. Perigee: 497 km. Apogee: 579 km. Inclination: 101.7 deg.

Solar flare observations. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).


06 April 1968 OV1-13 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Atlas F. Mass: 107 kg. Perigee: 559 km. Apogee: 9,246 km. Inclination: 99.9 deg.

Radiation, engineering experiments. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).


11 July 1968 OV1-16 Cannonball 1 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Atlas F. Mass: 600 kg. Perigee: 145 km. Apogee: 556 km. Inclination: 89.8 deg.

Ionospheric drag tests. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).


18 March 1969 OV1-17S Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Atlas F. Mass: 142 kg. Perigee: 400 km. Apogee: 466 km. Inclination: 99.1 deg.

Solar radiation experiments. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).


07 August 1971 OV1-21P Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Atlas F. Mass: 70 kg. Perigee: 775 km. Apogee: 899 km. Inclination: 87.6 deg.

Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).



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Last update 12 March 2001.
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© Mark Wade, 2001 .