AEROS

satellite A satellite or an artificial satellite is an object, typically a spacecraft, placed into orbit around a celestial body. They have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation ( GPS), broadcasting, scient ...

s were to study the

aeronomy Aeronomy is the scientific study of the upper atmosphere of the Earth and corresponding regions of the atmospheres of other planets. It is a branch of both atmospheric chemistry and atmospheric physics. Scientists specializing in aeronomy, know ...

i. e. the

science Science is a systematic discipline that builds and organises knowledge in the form of testable hypotheses and predictions about the universe. Modern science is typically divided into twoor threemajor branches: the natural sciences, which stu ...

of the upper

atmosphere An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosph ...

and

ionosphere The ionosphere () is the ionized part of the upper atmosphere of Earth, from about to above sea level, a region that includes the thermosphere and parts of the mesosphere and exosphere. The ionosphere is ionized by solar radiation. It plays ...

, in particular the

F region The F region of the ionosphere is home to the F layer of ionization, also called the Appleton–Barnett layer, after the English physicist Edward Appleton and New Zealand physicist and meteorologist Miles Barnett. As with other ionospheric secto ...

under the strong influence of

solar Solar may refer to: Astronomy * Of or relating to the Sun ** Solar telescope, a special purpose telescope used to observe the Sun ** A device that utilizes solar energy (e.g. "solar panels") ** Solar calendar, a calendar whose dates indicate t ...

extreme

ultraviolet Ultraviolet radiation, also known as simply UV, is electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths of 10–400 nanometers, shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation is present in sunlight and constitutes about 10% of ...

radiation In physics, radiation is the emission or transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles through space or a material medium. This includes: * ''electromagnetic radiation'' consisting of photons, such as radio waves, microwaves, infr ...

. To this end the

spectrum A spectrum (: spectra or spectrums) is a set of related ideas, objects, or properties whose features overlap such that they blend to form a continuum. The word ''spectrum'' was first used scientifically in optics to describe the rainbow of co ...

of this radiation was recorded aboard by one instrument (of type Hinteregger) on the one hand and a set of 4 other instruments measuring the most important neutral uand iononized parameters at the satellite's position on the other. AEROS was built by

Ball Aerospace Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., commonly Ball Aerospace, was an American manufacturer of spacecraft, components and instruments for national defense, civil space and commercial space applications. Until 2024, the firm was a wholly owned subs ...

for a

co-operative A cooperative (also known as co-operative, coöperative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democr ...

project between

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

and the ''Bundesministerium für Foschung und Technologie'' (BMwF),

Federal Republic of Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen constituent states have a total population of over 84 ...

. Named for the Greek god of the air at the suggestion of the BMwF . AEROS A and B carried identical instrumentation only the instrument measuring short scale variations of the electron density didn't work on A. A third Aeros C was planned for Earth Resources studies in a 3-axis spin-stabilized configuration, to be launched by a Shuttle in 1986.^{(Needs research)}

Specifications

: ''Source:'' Yenne *Launch vehicles:

Scout Scout may refer to: Youth movement *Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement ** Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom ** Scouts BSA, sect ...

*Launch location:

Western Space and Missile Center Space Launch Delta 30 (SLD 30) is a United States Space Force space launch delta, equivalent to an Air Force air base wing, assigned to Space Systems Command and headquartered at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The Space Launch Delta 3 ...

Vandenberg AFB Vandenberg Space Force Base , previously Vandenberg Air Force Base, is a United States Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California. Established in 1941, Vandenberg Space Force Base is a space launch base, launching spacecraft from the ...

*Launch dates: 16 December 1972 (AEROS), 16 July 1974 (AEROS B) *Re-entry dates: 22 August 1973 (AEROS), 2 September 1975 (AEROS B) *Total weight: 280 pounds and 436 pounds for AEROS C *Diameter: 36 inches *Height: 28 inches *Shape: Cylindrical *Power:

Solar cells A solar cell, also known as a photovoltaic cell (PV cell), is an electronic device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by means of the photovoltaic effect.

/ nickel-cadmium batteries *Power requirements: 4.7-34.3 watts

References

External links

Goddard Space Flight Center

AEROS B Satellite
Weather satellites of the United States NASA satellites Science and technology in West Germany Satellites of Germany Spacecraft launched in 1972 Spacecraft launched in 1974 Spacecraft which reentered in 1973 Spacecraft which reentered in 1975 {{Satellite-stub