LOFTI 2 explained

LOFTI 2 ("LOw Frequency Trans Ionospheric Satellite", also styled LOFTI II) refers to a pair of United States Naval Research Laboratory satellites launched in 1962 and 1963 as a follow-on to the LOFTI-1 mission. The program's mission was to study how the ionosphere affected very low frequency transmissions. Both were 20-inch diameter aluminum spheres equipped with extendible antennas.^[1]

LOFTI 2

LOFTI 2 was launched on 24 January 1962 as part of the Composite 1 mission alongside four other satellites.^[2] The mission failed to reach orbit.^{[3] [4]}

LOFTI 2A

LOFTI 2A was launched on 15 June 1963 alongside five other satellites.^[5] It was equipped with a ten-foot antenna which could be extended to 40 feet remotely. The orbital injection motor on the launch vehicle failed to fire, leaving all of the satellites in the wrong orbit.^[6]

See also

• LOFTI-1

Further reading

• Web site: Launch 1962-F02: Ablestar 010 (Composite 1) . planet4589.org.

Notes and References

1. Book: Electro-Optical Systems . Richter. Henry. Instruments and Spacecraft, October 1957-March 1965: Space Measurements Survey . 1966 . Scientific and Technical Information Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration . en. 239-240,430.
2. Web site: USN 711008: Lofti II Satellite . history.navy.mil . 12 July 2022.
3. Web site: Krebs . Gunter . LOFTI 1, 2 . Gunter's Space Page . 12 July 2022 . en.
4. News: Composite Launch Attempt Fails . Aviation Week and Space Technology . 29.
5. Web site: Krebs . Gunter . LOFTI 2A . Gunter's Space Page . 12 July 2022 . en.
6. Brescia . R. . Ballou . D. . Zirm . R. . Decay Prediction of 1963-21 Using U.S. Naval Space Surveillance System Observations. 12 July 2022.