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West Germany's first scientific satellite From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Azur (also called GRS-A) was West Germany's first scientific satellite. Launched on 8 November 1969 it studied the Van Allen belts, solar particles, and aurorae.[2] [3]
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Operator | BMWF/DLR |
---|---|
COSPAR ID | 1969-097A |
SATCAT no. | 4221 |
Mission duration | 7 months, 20 days (achieved) 54 years, 9 months, 26 days (in orbit) |
Spacecraft properties | |
Manufacturer | BMWF/NASA |
Launch mass | 71 kilograms (157 lb) |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 8 November 1969, 01:52 UTC |
Rocket | Scout B S169C |
Launch site | Vandenberg SLC-5 |
End of mission | |
Last contact | 29 June 1970 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Medium Earth Decayed into Low Earth |
Periapsis altitude | 368 kilometres (229 mi) |
Apoapsis altitude | 1,445 kilometres (898 mi) |
Inclination | 102.70 degrees |
Period | 102.99 minutes |
Epoch | 6 December 2013, 12:36:47 UTC[1] |
The construction of the satellite was carried out by Ludwig Bölkow, one of the aeronautical pioneers of Germany, and with the participation of other German companies.[4]
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