Explorer 16

Explorer 16
Mission type	Space physics
Operator	NASA
Harvard designation	1962 Beta Chi 1
COSPAR ID	1962-070A[1]
SATCAT no.	506
Mission duration	7 months
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass	100.8 kg (222 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	16 December 1962, 14:38 UTC[2]
Rocket	Scout X-3
Launch site	Wallops LA-3
End of mission
Last contact	July 1963
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Eccentricity	0.02933[1]
Perigee altitude	750 km (470 mi)[1]
Apogee altitude	1,181 km (734 mi)[1]
Inclination	52°[1]
Period	104.3 minutes[1]
Epoch	16 December 1962[1]
Instruments
Instruments
	Pressurized Cell Micrometeorite Detector
	Grid Detectors of Micrometeorites
	Copper Wire Micrometeorite Detector
	Micrometeorite Detector
	Cadmium-Sulfide Cell Micrometeorite Detector
	Explorers

Explorer 16, also called S-55B, was an American satellite launched as part of the Explorers program. Explorer 16 was launched on December 19, 1962, at Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, United States, with a Scout rocket.

Mission

Explorer 16 was the second in the series of micrometeoroid satellites orbited by NASA. Its purpose was to obtain data on the near-earth meteoroid environment, thus providing an accurate estimate of the probability of penetration in spacecraft structures by meteoroids and allowing a more confident definition of the relationship between penetration flux and material thickness to be derived.

The cylindrically shaped spacecraft, about 61 by 192 centimetres (24 in × 76 in), was built around the burned-out fourth stage of the Scout launch vehicle that remained as part of the orbiting satellite. Explorer 16 carried stainless steel pressurized-cell penetration detectors, impact detectors, capacitor detectors, and cadmium sulfide cell detectors to obtain data on the size, number, distribution, and momentum of dust particles in the near-earth environment. The spacecraft operated satisfactorily during its 7-month life (December 16, 1962, to July 1963), and all mission objectives were accomplished.[1]

References

"S 55B". NSSDC Master Catalog. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
"Jonathan's Space Page".

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[nssdc-1] "S 55B". NSSDC Master Catalog. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

[jonathan-2] "Jonathan's Space Page".