OAO 2

  1968-110A

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The replacement satellite for OAO A1, called OAO A2, carried the WEP again, but the other experiments were replaced by the Smithsonian Observatory Telescope. Launched at 0640 on 1968 Dec 7 by an Atlas Centaur from Cape Kennedy, OAO II (Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 2) entered a 100.2 min, 765 x 778 km x 35.0 deg orbit. The satellite was a success, making the first extensive ultraviolet observations of stars, and transmitted until 1973 Feb 14.

OAO 2
Date	Time	Event	Orbit
1968 Dec 7	0840:09	Launch by Atlas Centaur AC-16	CKAFS LC36B
		T+2:33 BECO
		T+2:35 Booster sep
		T+3:17 Insulation panels
		T+3:54 SECO
		T+3:56 Atlas sep
	0844	T+4:07 Centaur 13D MES 1
		T+4:19 Fairing
		T+4:21 Yaw mvr begins
	0851:47	T+11:38 Centaur MECO
		T+11:49 Solar paddles deploy
		T+11:50? Balance weights jettisoned
	0852	T+12:29 Centaur sep
	0905	T+25:31 Centaur blowdown 49s
1969 Apr 12		Attitude control loss
1969 Apr 16		Attitude control recovered
1973 Feb 14		end of tx