Description : Explorer 31 was a small ionospheric observatory instrumented to make direct measurements of selected ionospheric parameters at the spacecraft. It carried seven experiments: a thermal ion experiment, a thermal electron experiment, an electrostatic probe, an electron temperature probe, a spherical mass spectrometer, an energetic electron current monitor, and a magnetic ion-mass spectrometer. The attitude and spin rate information were observed by a sun sensor and a three-axis magnetometer. Satellite performance was satisfactory except for a partial power failure in May 1966, which reduced data acquisition time to about half the nominal amount. Some difficulties were encountered in obtaining attitude information that was necessary for the reduction of the experiment observations. On July 1, 1969, the satellite data observations were terminated with five of the seven experiments operating.

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Space Event :

EXPLORER 31 (DME A) (SATELLITE) · THOR AGENA B