1974-077A
The Ariel 5 (UK 5) spacecraft was Britain's first X-ray astronomy observatory. The 135 kg spacecraft was managed by the Science Research Council's Appleton Lab, although the main science experiment, the SSI all-sky survey, was run by Leicester University. Leicester, already experienced with sounding rocket flights, remained the leading British X-ray astronomy hardware group into the 1990s. Control was at UK OCC/Slough, with commanding via STDN.
Mass was 135 kg; size was 0.97m long 0.86m dia. MOR quotes mass as 130 kg. Stage 4 mass was 301 kg full, 26 kg empty.
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| Ariel 5 |
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| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
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| 1974 Oct 15 | 0747:00 | Launch by Scout B-1 | SMLC |
| | 0748 | Algol burnout T+1:19 |
| | 0748 | Castor burn T+1:23 |
| | 0749 | Castor burnout T+2:02 |
| | | T+2:38 Heatshield sep |
| | | T+2:40 Castor sep |
| | 0749 | Antares burn T+2:40 |
| | 0749 | Antares burnout T+3:16 |
| | | Stage 3 sep T+8:55 |
| | 0756 | Altair burn T+9:00 36s |
| | 0756 | Altair burnout T+9:33 | 95.0 504 x 549 x 2.9 |
| 0800:55 | T+13:55 Altair sep |
| 1974 Oct 18 | | Experiments on |
| 1980 Mar 14 | | Reentered |
Payload:
- A Cosmic X-rays 0.3-30keV, RMC (MSSL/Boyd) with channel electron multiplier array, 0.3-6 keV and BePCs 2.5 -30 keV; 3 PHA channels.
- B SSI X-ray survey 2-10keV (LUX/Pounds) 4 PCs, 600 cm2.
- C Pointed source spectra 2- 30 keV (MSSL/Boyd), PC with 128 pha channels, 100 cm2.
- D Polarimeter/spectrometer. Bragg crystal with PCs. 2-8 keV (LUX/Pounds) PET and LiF crystals., 6 deg FOV.
- F High energy x-ray spectra, 20 keV-2 MeV, CsI(Na) crystal scintillator (ICST/Elliot)
- G ASM All sky monitor 3-6 keV, (GSFC/Holt) two pinhole cameras with PCs.
