RM 20 (P72-2) [USAF]
RM 20 (Radiometer 20) was a low-altitude satellite in circular orbit carrying four experiments. Two of the experiments were to study radiation from the earth horizon. A third experiment was to observe solar extinction through the stratosphere, and the fourth was to study ionospheric radio propagation. The spacecraft experiment support equipment included a three-axis stabilization system and a tape recorder.
The main instruments were the highly complex RM-20A/B satellite sensors, which were intended to collect infrared target and background data while approximating several features of potential operational concepts. The RM-20A was a scanning instrument operating within two spectral regions with sophisticated onboard data processing such as automatic thresholding and field-of-view sectoring. The instrument was gimbaled and incorporated a passive thermal control system, and produced data at 1.024 Mbps. The RM-20B was a mosaic sensor operating in one selected spectral region. It was gimbaled to compensate for orbital and earth rotation and provided data at 512 Kbps.
Following experiments were on board:
Nation: | USA |
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Type / Application: | Experimental |
Operator: | US Air Force (USAF) STP (Space Test Program) |
Contractors: | Rockwell International |
Equipment: | ? |
Configuration: | ? |
Propulsion: | ? |
Power: | |
Lifetime: | |
Mass: | 204 kg |
Orbit: |
Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
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RM 20 (P72-2) | 1975-F03 | 13.04.1975 | Va SLC-3W | F | Atlas-F Star-17A |
Further RM missions:
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Further STP missions:
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