1981-094A
Aureole 3 was a follow-on to the earlier DS-U2 class Aureole satellites, using the AUOS-Z bus. The payload, ARCAD 3, carried out studies of particles in the aurora. ARCAD means Arctic Auroral Density. The satellite was a 1030 kg gravity gradient stabilized cylinder, 2.5m long and 2.0m diameter. Length 20.0m with boom. 8 solar panels when deployed form a partial octagonal pyramid around the core cylinder. Cylinder diameter is 1.0m, diameter across panels is around 3.0m.
Satellite mission control was at IKI, with CNES-Toulouse operating some science functions.
| Aureole 3 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 Sep 21 | 1310 | Launch by Tsiklon-3 | PL |
| S5M burn | |||
| 1316? | S5M MECO | ||
| 1334? | S5M MES-2 | ||
| 1334? | S5M sep | 109.5 406 x 2001 x 82.5 | |
| Solar panel deploy | |||
| Boom deploy | |||
| 1981 Sep 22 | 1400? | Stabilization complete | |
| 1981 Oct 10 | Begin science ops | ||
Payload:
- ROBE/SPECTRO E/p spectrometer with pitch angle data
- TBE/SPECTRO Proton/electric spectrometers
- KUKUSHKA RIEP-2802 Electrostatic analyser
- PIESCHANKA SES-14 medium energy e/p spectrometer
- FON RI-1//RI-2 p/e energetic particles
- RI1 GM counters for high energy particles
- ION/SPECTRO Ion spectrometers
