Ariel-1 satellite, illustration
Illustration of the Ariel-1 space satellite above England, UK. Ariel-1 was the first British satellite to be launched on the 26th of April 1962. Measuring 58 centimetres in diameter and weighing 62 kilograms, the satellite had solar panels, nickel-cadmium batteries and a 100-minute recorder for collecting ionospheric data. Ariel-1 was also the first internationally developed satellite: NASA's Gooddard Space Flight Center in the USA provided the launch rocket and built the satellite structures whilst the satellite carried six experiments built by British universities on-board. These experiments were designed to study the ionosphere and its relationship to solar radiation. The satellite transmitted ionospheric data until November 1964 and was deorbited in 1972.
Size: 7250px × 4824px
Location:
Photo credit: © DAVID DUCROS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: -, 1962, 1st, 26th, april, ariel, artwork, british, communications, earth, england, english, experiment, illustration, ionosphere, nasa, programme, radiation, research, satellite, serc, space, study, technological, technology, uk, uk1
