Prospero (X 3)

Prospero

Prospero (or X-3) was a British scientific satellite launched from the Woomera site in Australia aboard a Black Arrow rocket. It was used to test equipment for future satellites and to conduct a scientific experiment to measure the incidence of micrometeoroids. It had an external shape similar to a pumpkin, with an equatorial diameter of 1.2 m and a height of 0.7 m. Its anticipated orbital life was 100 years.

A second satellite was built as a flight spare, but was not needed after the successful launch of the Prospero satellite. It has been donated to the Science Museum in London.