ANNA 1B
Photo of ANNA 1B
Mission typeGeodetic research
OperatorDepartment of Defense / NASA
COSPAR ID1962-060A
SATCAT no.00446
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerApplied Physics Laboratory[1]
Launch mass161 kilograms (355 lb)
Start of mission
Launch dateOctober 31, 1962, 08:03:00 (1962-10-31UTC08:03Z) UTC
RocketThor-DM21 Able Star
Launch siteCape Canaveral LC-17A
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Semi-major axis7,505.0 kilometers (4,663.4 mi)
Perigee altitude1,081.6 kilometers (672.1 mi)
Apogee altitude1,186.7 kilometers (737.4 mi)
Inclination50.1°
Period107.8 minutes[2]
 

ANNA 1B (acronym for "Army, Navy, NASA, Air Force") was a United States satellite launched on October 31, 1962, from Cape Canaveral, on a Thor rocket.

Features

ANNA 1B track on photography taken by Santiago (Chile) MOTS station on November 11, 1962

ANNA 1B's predecessor launched on May 10, 1962, but failed to reach orbit.[3]

ANNA 1B was a US Navy geodetic satellite launched from Cape Canaveral by a Thor Able Star rocket. The mission profile involved ANNA serving as a reference for making precise geodetic surveys, allowing measurement of the force and direction of the gravity field of Earth, locating the middle of land masses and establishing surface positions.

ANNA 1B was spherically shaped with a diameter of 0.91 meters and a weight of 161 kg. It was powered by a band of solar cells around its equator supported by nickel-cadmium batteries. A communications antenna was wrapped around the spiral surface of the satellite.

The ship's instrumentation included optical systems, radio location, and Doppler radar. The optical system consists of a high intensity beacon which transmits a series of five flashes with a period of 5.6 seconds. This allowed one to accurately measure land masses by ground-to-sky satellite photographs (optical tracking or stellar triangulation). The Doppler radar system could also be programmed from the ground control station allowing geopositioning with an accuracy of 20 meters or less.

References

  1. ↑ Mark Wade. "Anna". Astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 2013-11-08. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  2. ↑ N2YO. Real Time Satellite Tracking. "ANNA 1B". N2yo.com. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  3. ↑ NASA. "ANNA1". Nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2016-06-28.

Bibliography

  • Bramschere, Robert G (1980). "A Survey of Launch Vehicle Failures". Spaceflight 22: 351.


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