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OV3
OV3 -

Credit: USAF. 25,229 bytes. 261 x 331 pixels.

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

The OV3 GUS General Utility Satellite were built for the Air Force as part of the OV3 satellite series. Four of the spacecraft were launched during 1967 and all were successful. The satellites were Scout-boosted, three from the Western Test Range, one from Wallops Island, Virginia. Apogees ranged from 1500 to 5600 km and perigees down to 330 km. The spacecraft was a right octagonal cylinder measuring 0.76 m by 0.76 m and weighing from 68 to 78 kg. Solar cells supplied power, with a cell area of 0.34 sq m for experiments and .58 square m for support subsystems. Prime Contractor was Aerojet-General Corporation (Space-General Plant).

Specification

Total Mass: 80 kg.

OV3 Chronology

22 April 1966 OV3-01 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Scout B. Mass: 69 kg. Perigee: 339 km. Apogee: 4,079 km. Inclination: 82.4 deg.

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

10 June 1966 OV3-04 Launch Site: Wallops Island . Launch Vehicle: Scout B. Mass: 79 kg. Perigee: 643 km. Apogee: 4,704 km. Inclination: 40.9 deg.

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

04 August 1966 OV3-03 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Scout B. Mass: 75 kg. Perigee: 349 km. Apogee: 3,141 km. Inclination: 81.4 deg.

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

28 October 1966 OV3-02 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Scout B. Mass: 82 kg. Perigee: 319 km. Apogee: 1,599 km. Inclination: 81.9 deg.

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

31 January 1967 OV3-05 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Scout B. FAILURE: Failure.
05 December 1967 OV3-06 Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Vehicle: Scout B. Mass: 95 kg. Perigee: 409 km. Apogee: 443 km. Inclination: 90.0 deg.

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

Bibliography:

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