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  Australis-OSCAR-5,
1970-008B. - Radio amateur satellite built by the University of Australia, and launched on the 23rd
January 1970 at 1131UTC on a Delta N launcher from Vandenberg AFB with ITOS-1 (TIROS-M) as
the main payload into a 1476x1431km orbit inclined at 101.8 degrees. The satellite was box
shaped with dimensions 304 x 431 x 152mm. It weighed 17.7kg, of which 9kg was battery
mass. It carried a 144.05MHz beacon with a monopole antenna, which was operational for 23
days, and a 29.45MHz beacon with a dipole antenna, which lasted 46 days. Attitude
stabilisation was attempted by carrying two bar magnets to align with the Earths magnetic
field, in order to provide a favourable antenna footprint.
Picture (right) courtesy of AMSAT
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- Osumi
- The first Japanese satellite launched on the 11th February 1970 from Kagoshima on a
Lambda 4S-5 launcher. It was placed into a 340x5140km orbit inclined at 31 degrees. It
weighed 24kg The satellite comprised the fourth stage, and transmitted for 17 hours.
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- Dial (Wika).
- Dial (Diamant Allemagne) was launched on the 10th March 1970 on a Diamant B launcher
from Kourou into a 301x1631km orbit inclined at 5.41 degrees. The 60.42kg German microsat
was built for BMwF/GfW CNES, and was used to study the hydrogen geo-corona and the
ionosphere. Vibration damage during launch made the data difficult to interpret. It
re-entered on the 5th October 1978.
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- MIKA.
- MIKA, a 52kg French satellite was launched together with Wika on a Diamant launcher on
the 10th March 1970 from Kourou French Guyana, into a 1746x307km 5 degree inclined orbit.
It tested the ability of the diamant launcher to provide satellite spin at deployment. It
re-entered on the 9th September 1974.
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- TOPO 1.
- The 21.8kg TOPO 1 SECOR-type satellite was launched from Vandenberg AFB on the 8th April
1970 on a Thor AD/Agena D launcher alongside Nimbus 4. The satellite was box shaped
measuring 330 x 279 x 228mm, and carried a transponder for experimental US Army
triangulation exercises.
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- RMS.
- A Radiation Meteoroid Satellite launched on the 9th November 1970 with primary mission
OFO on a SCOUT B launcher. It was cylindrical in shape measuring 760mm in diameter and
380mm in height, weighting 21kg. It measured impact direction and speed of micrometeoroids
for use in future manned missions. It carried a solid state radiation spectrometer.
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- Peole
- Peole was launched on a Diamant B launcher from Kourou, French Guiana on the 12 December
1970. The 69.7kg French satellite was placed into a 580x747km orbit inclined at 15
degrees. Peole was a test flight for the Eole meteorological satellite.
Picture (right) courtesy of CNES
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- Tansei-1
- Tansei-1 was launched on the 16th February 1971 on a M-4S-2 launcher from Kagoshima into
a 990x1100km inclined at 30 degrees. The Japanese satellite weighed 63kg, demonstrated the
launcher capability and operated for a week.
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- Tournesol 1 (D2-A)
- D2-A was launched on the 15th April 1971 on a Diamant B launcher from Kourou into a
456x703km orbit inclined at 46 degrees. The 90kg French satellite carried five experiments
to study ultra violet solar radiation and the distribution of stellar hydrogen.
Picture (right) courtesy of CNES
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- CAS, Eole 1971-71A
- An 84kg octagonal French microsat, launched on the 16th August 1971 on a Scout launcher
from Wallops I, into a 678x903km orbit. The meteorological satellite interrogated over 500
instrumented weather balloons released from Argentina drifting at heights of 12km in order
to study southern-hemisphere winds, returning data on winds, temperatures and pressures.
The Cooperative Applications Satellite-1 was launched by NASA. "Eole" is the God
of the winds.
Picture (right) courtesy of CNES
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- Shinsei-1
- Shinsei-1 (new star) was launched on the 28th September 1971 on a M-4S-3 launcher from
Kagoshima into a 870x1870km inclined at 32 degrees. The 65kg Japanese satellite observed
HF radio emissions from the sun, and plasma and cosmic rays. The data recorder failed
after 4 months, although real-time data could still be recovered.
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- Prospero-1
- The first launch of a British satellite on a British launcher, Prospero-1 was launched
on the 28th October 1971 on a Black Arrow from Woomera. The 86kg microsatellite was placed
in a 531x1402km inclined at 82 degrees. The satellite carried an onboard tape recorder,
which failed after 730 replays on the 24th May 1973. The satellite carries a transponder
at 137.56MHz. After 10 years in orbit satellite was still occasionally reactivated and
telemetry was received at the Lasham groundstation.
More...
[Prospero at Australian
Space]
- Explorer-45,
1971
- A small scientific satellite launched on the 15th November 1971, to study magnetic
storms and acceleration of charged particles within the inner magnetosphere. The
spacecraft weighed 50kg.
- D2-A
- D2-A was unsuccessfully launched on the 5th December 1971 on a Diamant B launcher from
Kourou The 96kg French satellite carried experiments to continue studies of ultra violet
solar radiation.
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- Ariel-4.
- Ariel-4 was launched from Vandenberg AFB on a Scout on the 11th December 1971 into a
485x599km 52 degree inclined orbit. It continued electron density radio noise measurements
until April 1973, when it was decided enough data had been taken. Following this, it was
switched on occasionally to support sounding rocket launches. It weighed 100kg, and
re-entered on the 12th December 1978.
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- SRET-1
- SRET-1 was launched from Plesetsk on the 4th April 1972. The French satellite was placed
in a 460x39248km orbit and was used to study radiation effects on solar cells.
Picture (right) courtesy of CNES
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- Denpa (Shinsei-2)
- Denpa was launched on the 19th August 1972 on a M-4S-4 launcher from Kagoshima into a
250x6750km inclined at 31 degrees. The 75kg Japanese satellite observed plasma waves and
plasma density, electron flux and geomagnetism. It decayed on the 19th May 1980.
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-
 OSCAR-6, 1972-082B
- Radio amateur satellite launched on the 15th October 1972 at 1719UTC with ITOS-D (NOAA
2) on a Delta 300 launcher into a 1453x1447km orbit inclined at 101.4 degrees from
Vandenberg AFB. It used solar panels and NiCd batteries to provide 24V, 3.5W power for
three transponders, including a 432/146MHz, and 146/29MHz transponder both employing
dipole antennas. The third named 'Codestore' allowed Morse and teletype messages to be
stored and retransmitted. It also contained a telemetry system reporting temperature and
power. The battery finally failed on the 21st June 1977. It weighed 15.9kg, and was box
shaped with dimensions of 430 x 300 x 150mm.
Picture (right) courtesy of AMSAT
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- Castor(D5A).
- The French microsatellites was unsuccessfully launched on the 21st May 1973 on a Diamant
B launcher from Kourou together with. Castor was to study interstellar space, Aeronomy and
aid geodesy
- Pollux
(D5B).
- The French microsatellites was unsuccessfully launched on the 21st May 1973 on a Diamant
B launcher from Kourou together with Castor. Pollux was to test out a hydrazine propulsion
system.
- Explorer-50
- Launched on the 26th October 1973 from a DELTA into a 94,697x238,989km orbit, the
Interplanetary Monitoring Platform were employed to measure the radiation environment
during the 11 year solar cycle. The spacecraft weighed 81kg, and its two experiments
required 42 and 120W.
- Tansei-2
- Tansei-2 was launched on the 16th February 1974 on a M-3C-1 launcher from Kagoshima into
a 790x3810km inclined at 66 degrees. The Japanese satellite weighed 56kg, and confirmed
launcher operation and demonstrated attitude controls.
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- Miranda (X-4).
- Miranda was launched on the 9th March 1974 on a Scout from Vandenberg AFB into a
703x918km sun-synchronous orbit inclined at 97.81 degrees. The 93kg British satellite was
built by Hawker Siddely for the Department of Trade and Industry to test a new type of
three axis control system as an alternative to spin stabilisation. Total cost was 5
million pounds stirling plus 1.5m pounds launch costs.
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-
 OSCAR-7,
1974-089B.
- Radio amateur satellite launched on the 15th November 1974 at 1711UTC with ITOS-G (NOAA
4) and the Spanish INTASAT on a Delta 2310 from Vandenberg AFB into a 1457x1438km orbit
inclined at 101.4 degrees (8:30 sun-synchronous). It was octahedral shaped 360mm high
and 424mm in diameter, weighed 28.6kg, used many parts donated from previous other space
projects, and finally failed in 1981. It carried 145.85-95/29.4-5MHz and
432.18-12/145.92-98MHz (inverted) transponders, and 29.5 and 145.7MHz beacons. A2304.1MHz
beacon failed. It employed a circularly polarised canted turnstile VHF/UHF antenna system
and an HF dipole. It finally failed due to the battery.
Picture (right) courtesy of AMSAT
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- INTASAT
- Launched with OSCAR-7 on the 15th November 1974 on a DELTA. INTASAT was a 20.4kg
microsatellite, 450mm diameter, developed by the Spanish space agency INTA in order to
measure the ionospheric total electron count. It carried an ionospheric sounding radio
beacon and was functional for two years.
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- Starlette
- Starlette, a French 68kg geodetic satellite was launched on a Diamant B launcher from
Kourou on the 6th February 1975 into a 804x1138km orbit with 50 degree inclination. The
250mm diameter spherical satellite was studded with laser reflectors.
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- Taiyo
(Shinsei-3)
- Taiyo (Sun) was launched on the 24th February 1975 on a M-3C-2 launcher from Kagoshima
into a 255x3135km (intended 250x2000) inclined at 31 degrees. The 86kg Japanese satellite
observed solar radiationand solar x-rays and UV radiation. It decayed on the 29th Jun
1980.
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- Pollux (D5B)
- The French 15kg Pollux microsatellite was launched together with Castor on a Diamant
BP-4 launcher from Kourou French Guiana on the 17th May 1975. They were placed into a
270x1270km orbit inclined at 70 degrees. It carried a hydrazine propulsion experiment for
testing its technology.
Picture (right) courtesy of CNES
- Castor(D5A).
- The French 77kg Castor microsatellite was launched together with Pollux on a Diamant
BP-4 launcher from Kourou French Guiana on the 17th May 1975. They were placed into a
270x1270km orbit inclined at 70 degrees. It carried an accelerometer payload in order to
aid geodesy.
Picture (right) courtesy of CNES
- SRET-2
- The French SRET-2 technological research satellite. was launched piggyback on a Molniya
satellite from Plesetsk on the 5th June 1975. The 29.6kg microsat was used to test the
passive cryogenic radiation system for Meteosat cooling, solar array technology, radiation
doses, and to study of the aging of thermal casings and plastic films. The spacecraft
decayed from orbit on the 10th July 1988.
Picture (right) courtesy of CNES
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- ETS-I (JETS-I,
Kiku).
- NASDA's first Engineering Test Satellite Kiku ('chrysanthemum'), with the objectives to
test orbit injection and control systems. The 82.5kg microsatellite was launched 9
September 1975 0530 GMT on the N-I launcher from the Tanegashima launch centre
into a 47
deg inclination, 1000km circular orbit. A picture shows that
the structure is made up from 26 surfaces and is 800mm in diameter.
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- DAD-A and DAD-B
- The 39.9kg and 42.9kg microsatellites were unsuccessfully launched on A SCOUT launch
vehicle from the Western Space and Missile centre on the 5th December 1975, with the
mission to measure the atmospheric density and lower exosphere.
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- TIP-3
- Launched 1st September 1976 on a SCOUT launcher into a 348 x 789km, 90.31 degree
inclined orbit. The spacecraft is dumb-bell shaped with dimensions 7.5 x 0.5m and weighs
94kg (?)
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-
 OSCAR-8,
1978-026B.
- Radio amateur satellite launched on the 5th March 1978 at 1754UTC on a Delta 2910 with
LandSat-3 (ERTS 3) and PIX from Vandenberg AFB into a 903 x 917km orbit inclined at 98.99
degrees. It was box shaped with dimensions 380 x 380 x 330mm and weighs 27.2kg. It was
built by radio amateurs in the U.S., Canada, Germany and Japan, and used many of the parts
left over from the OSCAR-7 project. The primary mission was to provide an educational
tool, and amateur communications. It contained a 145.90-146.00/435.1MHz (inverted) and
145.85-90/29.4-5MHz transponder using a circularly polarised VHF/UHF canted turnstile
antenna system, and contained telemetry beacons on 435.095MHz and 29.402MHz using an HF
dipole antenna. The battery finally failed in the middle of 1983.
Picture (right) courtesy of AMSAT
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- Jikiken
(Shinsei-6, EXOS-B)
- Jikiken was launched on the 16th September 1978 on a M-3H launcher into a 230x30050km
(intended 250x2000) orbit inclined at 31 degrees. The 91kg Japanese satellite studied
magnetosphere and plasma resonance and echo phenomena over a period of three years.
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- RS-1 and RS2
- Two Russian radio amateur satellites launched from Plesetsk C1 on the 26th October 1978
with Cosmos 1045 into a 1689 x 1709km orbit inclined at 82.55 degrees. Each of the
satellites weighs 40kg, has dimensions 390 x 420mm diameter. ( RS series). They contained a
145/29MHz transponder, telemetry beacon and a Codestore unit like OSCAR-6. It used an
inverted V VHF antenna and a quarter wave whip HF antenna. Battery failed caused the
satellites to fail after several months.
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- Maggion-1
- The Czechoslovak MAGnetopheric and IONospheric satellite built by the Geophysical
Institute, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences was ejected from InterCosmos 18 (launched 24th
October?) on the 14th of November 1978, into a 404 x 762km orbit inclined at 82.95
degrees. The 15kg micro-satellite was prism-shaped with dimensions 300 x 300 x 150mm, and
re-entered the atmosphere on the 11th September 1981. It was planned to study the low
frequency electromagnetic fields between two slowly diverging satellites, but a failure in
the power system resulted in limited data for a certain period.
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- Hakucho
(Corsa-B, Shinsei-4), 1979-14A.
- A Japanese cosmic radiation survey satellite was launched on an Mu-3C launcher on the
21st of February 1979, into a 541 x 572km orbit inclined at 29.9 degrees. Hakucho means
Swan, and was prism shaped, with dimensions 650 x 800mm, and weighed 96kg. The satellite
re-entered the atmosphere on 15 April 1985.
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- Rohini-1A,
- The first Indian satellite, but failed on the 10th August 1979.
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- PHASE-3A
- Radio amateur satellite, which would have become OSCAR-9, but for an Ariane launcher
failure on the 23rd May 1980 1430UTC., with Firewheel as the main payload. The satellite
weighed 92.2kg, carried a 435/145MHz transponder and 145MHz beacon, with a VHF and UHF
helix wide beam antenna.
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- Rohini-1B,
(RS-1) 1980-62A
- This was the first Indian national launch on the 18 July 1980 on an SLV-3 rocket from
Sriharikota, Bengal Bay, into a 302 x 919km orbit inclined at 44.75 degrees. The satellite
was spherical with a 0.6m diameter, and weighed 35kg. It re-entered the atmosphere on the
20th May 1981. Rohini-1A failed on the 10th August 1979. The satellite monitored the
launcher and satellite environment, and both were reported to have cost about
US$12m.
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- Rohini-2 (Rohini
D-1), 1981-51A.
- This was the second Indian national launch on the 31st May 1981 on an SLV-3 rocket from
Sriharikota, Bengal Bay, into a 186 x 418km (intended 296x834) orbit inclined at 46.27
degrees. The satellite was spherical with a 0.6m diameter, and weighed 38kg. It carried a
landmark tracker payload for accurate orbit and attitude determination. The satellite
re-entered the earth's atmosphere on 8 June 1981.
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- Iskra-1,
1981-65C.
- A development satellite built by the Moscow Aviation Institute, launched on the 10th
July 1981 with Meteor 31, into a 638 x 663 km orbit, inclined at 97.98 degrees. It weighed
28kg and measured 0.6m in diameter, and possibly decayed on the 7th October 1981.
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