- Title: KENYA: LAUNCHING OF UNITED STATES EXPLORER SATELLITE FOR THE STUDY OF GAMMA RAYS.
- Date: 18th November 1972
- Summary: 1. GV & CU San Marco firing range 0.08 2. TV Press & officials arrive in launch 0.14 3. SV Prof. Broglio of Italy 0.18 4. GV & CU Officials brought on to platform watched by Prof. Broglio 0.30 5. CU Antenna PAN TO launching platform 0.45 6. SV & CU Technicians working on rocket (3 shots) 1.01 7. CU Radar antenna 1.05 8.
- Embargoed: 3rd December 1972 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MALINDI, KENYA
- Country: Kenya
- Reuters ID: LVA4DYKUWWGRDX9AVZDGUHGD5IHI
- Story Text: The latest in the United States series of Explorer satellites was blasted into orbit around the equator on Thursday (16 November), from a launching site off the Kenya coast.
The satellite, Explorer 48, weights 410 pounds (186 kilograms), and carries a complex telescope to study gamma rays.
It was launched from the Italian-operated San Marco range near Malindi, and is the second in a series of small astronomy satellites developed by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Space experts and newsmen saw the Scout rocket carrying the satellite, lifted off in a perfect launch from the special platform built in the sea off the coast. The satellite was sent into an orbit 345 miles (555 kilometres) above the equator.
NASA scientists said gamma ray astronomy was a comparatively new field and had been given a high priority. Fundamental questions concerning stars, galactic magnetic fields and cosmic rays may be answered if gamma ray sources and propagation can be understood.
Among the officials taking an active part in the launching, was Mrs. Marjorie Townsend, project manager for NASA. Supervising the range operation was Professor Broglio, of the Aerospace Engineering Department at Rome University.
SYNOPSIS: At the San Macro firing range, off the coast of Kenya, preparations for the launching of the latest in the United States series of Explorer satellites. Newsman and officials arrive at the off-shore control platform, a short distance form the launch platform, watched by the range supervisor, Professor Broglio, of the Rome University Aerospace Engineering Department.
The launching from the Italian-operated range near Malindi, north of Mombasa, was the second in a series of small astronomy satellites developed by the United States Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Carrying the satellite aloft was a four-stage American Scout rocket. Like its predecessor, Explorer One, in 1961, it will be devoted exclusively to the study of gamma rays. Aboard the four-hundred-and-ten-pound satellite is a complex telescope, which will determine the intensity, direction and energy of the rays, with a sensitivity about ten times greater than any other gamma ray detector previously put into orbit.
Mrs. Marjorie Townsend, project manager for NASA, was among officials taking an active part in the launching.
NASA scientists said gamma ray astronomy was a comparatively new field and had been given a high priority. Fundamental questions concerning stars, galactic magnetic fields and cosmic rays, may be answered if gamma ray sources and propagation can be understood.
Space experts and newsmen watched as the Scout rocket lifted off in a perfect launch from the off-shore platform pad. The satellite was sent into an orbit three-hundred-and-forty-five miles above the equator. Data from it will be available for world-wide study.
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