European Space Research OrganisationScout BSpace Launch Complex 5, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
ESRO 1A (Aurorae)
Launched
October 3, 1968
Image: NASA
Summary
ESRO 1A (Aurorae) launched on an European Space Research Organisation Scout B from Space Launch Complex 5, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on October 3, 1968. It was European Space Research Organisation's 3rd launch, 2nd this year and humanity's 883rd orbital launch attempt. It was the 15th Scout B flight and the 5th this year. The payload was bound for Elliptical Orbit (Elliptical). Aurorae, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 268 × 1,519 km orbit inclined 93.8°. 4 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Scout B · European Space Research Organisation
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Earth Science · Elliptical Orbit (Elliptical)
- Milestone
- 15th Scout B flight · 5th this yearEuropean Space Research Organisation's 3rd launch2nd this yearhumanity's 883rd orbital launch attempt95th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Aurorae · NORAD 3459 · 1968-084 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 4 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 1968-084A
- Epoch
- 1968-10-03 21:54:48 UTC
- Mean motion
- 14.02228235 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0860929
- Inclination
- 93.8067°
- Ascending node
- 22.7744°
- Arg. of perigee
- 166.5038°
- Mean anomaly
- 196.0726°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 1
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: Elliptical. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
4 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage, 2 components; none still in orbit
- Aurorae · NORAD 3459 · re-entered June 26, 1970
Scout S167C Stage 4 · re-entered August 13, 1969
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
ESRO-1A / Aurorae (European Space Research Organisation) was a 80 kg, cylindrically shaped, solar-cell-powered spacecraft instrumented with seven scientific experiments chosen to measure a comprehensive range of auroral effects.
Pad
Space Launch Complex 5, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
35th launch from Space Launch Complex 5, 4th this year · 310th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
69 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
56 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did ESRO 1A (Aurorae) launch?
ESRO 1A (Aurorae) launched on October 3, 1968. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch ESRO 1A (Aurorae)?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched ESRO 1A (Aurorae)?
Scout B, flown by European Space Research Organisation. Scout B spec sheet
Where did ESRO 1A (Aurorae) launch from?
Space Launch Complex 5, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA.
What orbit did ESRO 1A (Aurorae) reach?
Aurorae, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 268 × 1,519 km orbit inclined 93.8°.
How many satellites did ESRO 1A (Aurorae) launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, no longer in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).