GRS

 1963-026A

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The Air Force Cambridge Research Labs launched its first dedicated research satellite, GRS (Research Satellite for Geophysics), on 1963 Jun 28 aboard a NASA Scout X-4 from Wallops Island. The AFRCL-A (GRS) satellite remained attached to the Altair final stage and transmitted for 12 orbits.

The satellite was also called PL-19 and CRL-1.

Total payload mass was 100 kg possibly including the 33 kg empty Altair stage.

GRS
Date	Time	Event	Orbit
1963 Jun 28	2119:22	Launch by Scout X-4	WI LA3
		T+1:08 St 1 Algol burnout
		T+1:25 St 2 Castor burn
		T+2:07 St 2 burnout
		T+2:13 Fairing sep
		T+2:13 St 3 Antares burn
		T+2:45 St 3 burnout
	2128	St 3 sep
	2128	St 4 Altair burn
	2129	Altair cutoff	411 x 1311 x 49.7
		end of tx
1963 Jun 29	1531		102.16 410 x 1311 x 49.72
1964 May 24			102.08 414 x 1299 x 49.7
1974 May 22			99.79 407 x 1090 x 49.7
1979 Feb 28			98.83 402 x 1002 x 49.7
1980 Aug 5			97.51 392 x 886 x 49.7
1982 Sep 9			94.31 357 x 612 x 49.7
1983 Dec 14	0603		87.44 143 x 151 x 49.6
1983 Dec 14		Reentered

Payload:

• Atmospheric composition experiments (AFCRL/Narcisi)

• H to O mass spectrometer (AFCRL/Narcisi)

• Electron/ion RPA (AFCRL/Hinteregger)