1959-004
The S-002 satellite (Explorer 6) carried a number of experiments to study the magnetosphere. It was the STL Able-3 probe, left over from the pre-NASA program as a testbed for the Able-4 Venus probe (later Pioneer 5). Able-3 was launched by a Thor Able III rocket from Cape Canaveral at 1423 on 1959 Aug 7 at an azimuth of 48 deg. Thor 134 used AJ10-101A serial P SA-3-1 stage 2 and X248-A4 serial 52 for stage 3. The S-2 payload was S/N 003 and was a 0.74m sphere with four paddles and a mass of 40 kg. Stage 3 was 25 kg empty with 210 kg prop.
One of the satellite’s solar paddles did not lock open. A two-part separation band was jettisoned to separate the Altair stage; the band parts were not cataloged. S-2 transmitted until Oct 6, and reentered sometime around 1961 Jul. The last available orbital data are on 1959 Sep 29. It was the first satellite to be significantly affected by lunisolar perturbations, and its flight caused renewed theoretical interest in these effects.
Explorer VI carried a 22N thrust solid ARC 1KS420 kick motor, S/N S6, to trim the orbit if needed, but the Thor Able performed well and the motor was not fired.
Some sources call the payload 1959 Delta 2 and the rocket Delta 1, but the current choice seems to be the other way round.
The Able-3 test vehicle was also used to test out systems planned for Able-4, including the third stage and the tracking systems.
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| Explorer 6 |
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| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|
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| 1959 Aug 7 | 1423:22 | Launch by Thor Able III | CC LC17A |
| | 1426:02 | T+2:40 MECO 4.60 km/s | -5092 x 381 x 45.7 |
| | | Range 155 km Alt 99 km Vi 4.899km/s at 22.34deg Az 53.33 |
| | | T+2:42 St 2 burn 117s |
| | | T+2:43 St 1 sep |
| | | T+2:48 VECO |
| | | T+3:08 Fairing sep (2 halves) 151 km |
| | 1428:01 | T+4:39 SECO | -1597 x 965 x 46.9 |
| | | T+4:42 St 3 burn 38.6s |
| | 1428:04 | T+4:42 St 2 sep 7.32 km/s in. | |
| | 1428:42 | T+5:20 St 3 burnout 349 km | 258 x 42898 x 47.2 |
| | 1430 | T+7:13 St 3 sep | |
| | 2048 | T+6:25:38 Apogee 1 |
| 1959 Aug 8 | 0308 | T+12:45:38 Perigee 1 |
| 1959 Aug 8 | | | 766.28 254 x 42466 x 47.0 |
| 1959 Sep 29 | | | 762.25 250 x 42275 x 47.0 |
| 1959 Oct 6 | | End of ops |
| 1961 Jul | | Reentered |
Payload:
- Photocell (cloud cover picture imager)
- Ion chamber (Iowa)
- Geiger counter (Iowa)
- Scintillation counter (STL)
- Cosmic ray counter telescope
- Search Coil Magnetometer
- Fluxgate magnetometer
- Electron density probe, 2 beacons at 108 MHz and 378 MHz
- VLF receiver (Stanford)
- Micrometeorite detector (AFCRL)
