The EXOS D auroral research satellite was launched on 1989 Feb 21 by Mu-3S-II from Kagoshima. It was named Akebono (`Dawn'). The satellite was placed in parking orbit at an inclination of 75 deg, and a small KM-D kick motor ignited to deliver the satellite to its final elliptical orbit with an apogee of 10500 km. The seven plasma experiments studied particle acceleration mechanisms in the aurora.
The satellite has 4 30-m wire antennae and two long magentometer booms. It is 1.0m high 1.4m dia octagonal box with 3.8m span across 4 solar panels, and 295kg in mass on orbit.
KM-D is 1.2m long 0.63d with a mass of 244 kg full 22 kg empty. It contains a spring used to expand the exit cone, about 2.4 kg 0.6?l 0.5d, which is ejected at 1.5m/s. The 0.5 kg, 0.1 x 0.05m igniter is also ejected on ignition.
Mass of EXOS-D and KM-D was 539 kg full 317 em, M-3B assumed to be 3595 f 305 em, dV = 2875 ln ( 4134 / 844 ) = 4568 m/s. I assume that the stage 1 and 2 orbits involved doglegs similar to those on EXOS-C.
| Akebono | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 Feb 21 | 2330 | Launch by Mu-3S-II | KAG |
| T+0:40 SOB sep | |||
| T+1:24 Stage 1 cutoff, sep | |||
| T+1:26 Stage 2 start | |||
| T+2:36 Stage 2 cutoff, coast | |||
| T+2:35 Fairing sep | |||
| T+5:09 M3B burn, 277 km | |||
| 2336 | T+6:36? M3B burnout | ||
| 2336 | T+6:40? M3B sep | 267 x 527 x 74.6 | |
| KM-D nozzle extensor jettisoned | |||
| 2336 | T+6:50 KM-D burn 38s | ||
| 2337 | T+7:28 KM-D burnout | ||
| T+7:44 KM-D sep | 276 x 10467 x 75.1 | ||
| 2337 | T+7:56 yo-yo despin | ||
| 211.15 275 x 10461 x 75.1 | |||
| 1989 Feb 22 | 0030 | Solar panels deployed | |
| 1992 | End of ATV data | ||
| 1994 | End of LEP data | ||
| 1999 | Still active | ||
| 2004 Jan | RDM still active | ||
| 2008 Apr 23 | 0659 | End of operations (ST/SG/SER.E/766) | |
Payload:
- 30-m wire antennae (4)
- RDM Radiation monitor
- MGF Magnetic field detector with 5-m mast
- EFD Electric Field detector
- VLF VLF wave detectors with 3-m mast.
- PWS Plasma wave detectors and sounder
- LEP Low Energy Particle detectors
- SMS Suprathermal ion mass spectrometer
- TED Thermal electron detectors
- ATV visible and UV Auroral television
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