Space Technology Research Vehicle

STRV 1A & STRV 1B
Operator UK MoD
Major contractors DRA
Mission type Experimental
Launch date 1994 June 17 07:07 UTC
Carrier rocket Ariane 4
Launch site Kourou, French Guiana
COSPAR ID 1994-034B & 1994-034C
SATCAT 23125 & 23126
Mass 50 kg
Orbital elements
Inclination 7.1 deg
Apoapsis 35,831 km
Periapsis 284 km
Orbital period 633 min
References: [1]
STRV 1C & STRV 1D
Operator UK MoD
Major contractors DRA
Mission type Experimental
Launch date 2000 November 16
Carrier rocket Ariane 5
Launch site Kourou, French Guiana
COSPAR ID 2000-072C & 2000-072D
SATCAT 26610 & 26611
Mass 100 kg
Orbital elements
Inclination 6.4 deg
Apoapsis 39,269 km
Periapsis 615 km
Orbital period 708 min
References: [2]

Space Technology Research Vehicle, or STRV was a series of British microsatellites which operated in elliptical orbits around the Earth. The satellites were built by the Defence Research Agency at Farnborough, for the UK Ministry of Defence.[3]

Mission

Built by the DRA, the satellites were designed to test new technologies in the harsh environment of an orbit. Each satellite had an expected 1 year life-time and carries myriad detectors, sensors and other equipment. The satellites were controlled from the DRA groundstation at in the UK.[3] The STRV satellites' experiments measured various environmental variables in the upper atmosphere.[4]

Payloads

Two satellites were launched in June 1994 and another two were launched in November 2000, from the space center in French Guyana.[5]

STRV 1A & 1B

STRV 1A and STRV 1B are cube-shaped mini-satellites each with a mass of 50 kg. They were launched into orbit to test new solar cells and measure static charge on its surfaces.[6]

STRV 1C & 1D

STRV 1C and STRV 1D both have a mass of 100 kg and carry test technology devices including lithium ion batteries and a GPS receiver.[6]

Current Status

The satellites form a part of the growing amounts of orbital debris in orbit of Earth.

References

  1. ↑ "Sat Cat". Celestrak. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  2. ↑ "Sat Cat". Celestrak. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  3. 1 2 "STRV 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  4. ↑ "STRV Satellites Ready for Launch". About.com. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  5. ↑ "Sat Cat". Celestrak. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  6. 1 2 "SPACEWARN Bulletin 565". NASA. Retrieved 26 June 2012.


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