Biosatellite 1 | |
Mission Type: | Bioscience |
Operator: | NASAARC |
Cospar Id: | 1966-114A |
Satcat: | 2632 |
Mission Duration: | 30 days |
Manufacturer: | General Electric |
Launch Mass: | 950kg (2,090lb) |
Launch Date: | UTC |
Launch Rocket: | Delta G 471/D43 |
Launch Site: | Cape Canaveral LC-17A |
Landing Date: | [1] |
Orbit Epoch: | 14 December 1966[2] |
Orbit Reference: | Geocentric |
Orbit Regime: | Low Earth |
Orbit Eccentricity: | 0.00105 |
Orbit Periapsis: | 295km (183miles) |
Orbit Apoapsis: | 309km (192miles) |
Orbit Inclination: | 33.5ยบ |
Orbit Period: | 90.5 minutes |
Apsis: | gee |
Biosatellite 1, also known as Biosat 1 and Biosatellite A, was the first mission in NASA's Biosatellite program. It was launched on December 14, 1966, by a Delta G rocket from Launch Complex 17A of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station[3] into an orbit with a 296km (184miles) perigee, 309abbr=NaNabbr= apogee, and 33.5 degrees of orbital inclination, with a period of 90.5 minutes.[4] Biosatellite 1 was carrying several specimens for studying the effects of the space environment on biological processes. Prior to reentry, the entry capsule separated from the satellite bus properly, but the deorbit motor failed to ignite, leaving it stranded in a slowly decaying orbit. It re-entered and disintegrated on February 15, 1967.