Payload
EXPLORER 12
DecayedPayloadHEO
Explorer 12, also called EPE-A or Energetic Particles Explorer-A and as S3), was a NASA satellite built to measure the solar wind, cosmic rays, and the Earth's magnetic field. It was the first of the S-3 series of spacecraft, which also included Explorer 14, 15, and 26. It was launched on 16 August 1961, aboard a Thor-Delta launch vehicle. It ceased transmitting on 6 December 1961 due to power failure.
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Launch
- Launch date
- August 16, 1961 at 03:21 AM UTC
- Launch site
- Cape Canaveral SFS, USA
- Launched by
- Thor-Delta →
- Operator
- United States Air Force
- Launch record
- View full launch →
Orbit
- Orbit regime
- HEO
- Apoapsis
- 76,977 km
- Periapsis
- 693 km
- Inclination
- 33.83°
- Orbital period
- 1594.62 min
Identity
- COSPAR (Int'l)
- 1961-020A
- NORAD catalog №
- 170
- Object type
- Payload
- Owner / operator
United States- Status
- Decayed
- Decay / reentry
- September 30, 1963
End of mission
- Last active / ended
- September 30, 1963
- Time in service
- 2.1 years
- Fate
- Reentered Earth's atmosphere and was destroyed.
- Final status
- Decayed