List of satellites which have provided data on Earth's magnetosphere
Below is a list of satellites which have provided data on the Earth's magnetosphere.
Satellite |
Launch Date |
Inclination of Orbital Plane to Earth's equator |
Lifetime (days) |
Range (γ) |
Sensitivity |
Distance RE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sputnik 3 |
5-15-58 |
65° |
30 |
<60,000 |
5% |
<1.3 |
Explorer 3 |
March 1958 |
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Pioneer 1 |
10-11-58 |
Earth impact |
1 |
<1000 |
1% |
3.7-7.0 |
Lunik 1 |
1-2-59 |
Solar orbit |
1 |
<6,000 |
200γ |
3-6 |
Explorer 6 |
8-7-59 |
47° |
61 |
<20,000 |
3% |
2-7.5 |
Lunik 2 |
9-12-59 |
Lunar impact |
1.4° |
<1,500 |
50γ |
3-6 |
Vanguard 3 |
9-18-59 |
33° |
85 |
10,000-60,000 |
4γ |
<1.8 |
Pioneer 5 |
3-11-60 |
Solar orbit |
50° |
<1,000 |
0.05-5γ |
5-9 |
Explorer 10 |
3-25-61 |
33° |
2.2 |
30-5,000 |
3γ |
1.8-7 |
Explorer 12 |
8-16-61 |
33° |
112 |
±500 |
10γ |
4-13.5 |
Alouette 1 |
9-29-62 |
80° |
Still operating |
60,000 |
0.3% |
1.17 |
Explorer 14 |
10-3-62 |
33° |
300 |
±250 |
5γ |
5-16.5 |
International Cometary Explorer |
August 12, 1978 |
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Dynamics Explorer |
August 3, 1981 |
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Ørsted |
2-23-99 |
96.4798° |
Still operating |
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THEMIS |
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Double Star Mission |
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Cluster mission |
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IMAGE |
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Polar |
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WIND |
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GEOTAIL |
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Ion Release Module |
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Charge Composition Explorer |
Notes
1γ = 10-5 oersted = Dynamic range of instrumentation