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NASA FACTS
An Educational Services Publication of the
(F-12-62) Rev. 1964 National Aeronautics and Space Administration
ONE OF 13 WORLDWIDE
TElEMETRY STATIONS RECEIVING
TOP SIDE DATA
FROM ALOUETTE
Technical illustration by the Canadian Defence Research Telecommunications Establishm e nt depicts ground ,
sounding rocket, and topside-sounder satellite studies of the ionosphere . The E and F layers designat e reg ions
of different electron density. The F layer contains the greatest concentration of electrons
Page 2 NASA FACTS (F-12-62)
SOUNDING IONOSPHERE FROM ABOVE
DEFINITIONS
Canada ' s Alouette satellite, launched Septem-
Electron-o negotively-charged constituent of the atom .
ber 28, 1962, is sending data that is not only
lon-o molecule or atom which has lo s t or gained an
advancing scientific knowledge of the ionosphere electron, thereby acquiring an electri c al charge.
but also may contribute to improvement of radio lonosonde-an instrument employing r adar principles
communication on earth. The satellite is furnish- that is used for study of the ionospher e by radio-echo
sounding .
ing this important information by carrying out
Ionosphere-an electrified region of the -atmosphere be-
from above investigations that for years have ginning about 40 miles above earth. It reflects
been conducted by ionosondes from the ground. certain radio signals, making possible world radio
communication. Its upper limit is as yet undetermined.
lonosondes are instruments used to study the
Radio-Echo Sounding-a method of studying the iono-
ionosphere by radio-echo sounding. In radio- sphere by bouncing radio signals from it. A particular
echo sounding, radio signals are beamed to the radio frequency will be reflected when it hits a given
electron density . Thus , the reflected frequency dis-
ionosphere, and the ionosphere's ability to re- closes the existence of a given electr on density and
flect them is determined and analyzed. the return time indicates the distanc e a t wh ich elec-
tron density was encountered.
Radio waves are reflected only if the electrons
Topside Saunding-radio-echo sounding f rom an altitude
in the ionosphere are sufficiently concentrated to above the region of maximum electron density. Con-
act as a mirror for the radio frequency employed. trasted with bottomside sounding from ground stations.
SPACECRAFT DESCRIPTION
The 320-pound, nearly oval Alouette is 42
inches in diameter and 34 inches high. It is
encrusted with about 6500 solar cells that con-
vert sunlight to electricity for running satellite in-
struments . Rechargeable nickel cadmium bat-
teries power Alouette when the satellite is on the
earth's night side. They also furnished electricity
from launch until Alouette was in orbit and its
solar cells were functioning. The batteri es are
recharged by electricity that is not used by other
satellite instrumentation .
Alouette's sounding equipment includes two
long antennas-one 150 feet in length and 'the
ull-scale Alouette model is checked by Canadian scien-
sts. Protruding from m id-section are ends of Alouette ' s
other 75 feet. The 150-foot antenna is believed
ng sounding antennas, retracted as during launch . the longest ever employed on a spacecraft. The
antennas are extended in the shape of a cross.
00 different frequencies between 1.6 and 11.5
They are fashioned from thin strips of spring
megacycles from the ionosphere, Alouette
steel that were coiled like measuring tapes at
measures precisely and in detail electron densi-
launch and unwound by a motor-driven spool
ties at various altitudes over al most the entire
shortly after the satellite was in orbit.
globe,
Other major equipment includes radiation
To supplement data from its sounding experi-
particle detectors; radio receivers, amplifiers,
ment, Alouette picks up cosmic noise and natural
transmitters, and other antennas for experiments
radio signals originating within the ionosphere.
and telemetry; and associated electronic ap-
Cosmic noise is a term for natural radio signals
paratus.
orignating in outer space. The frequency at
which Alouette stops receiving cosmic noise in-
dicates electron density in the satellite's vicinity.
Radio signals within the ionosphere are produced
by its fast-moving electrons. Their volume
(loudness) varies with electron density.
In another ex peri ment, Alouette gauges the
intensities of high-energy radiation in space, in-
cluding naturally-produced cosmic rays and the
artificial radiation created by the United States
lear experiment of July 9, 1962. (On that
Canadian technicians prepare a prototyp e Alouette for
- e, a hydrogen bomb detonated about 250 thermal tests . Powerful arc l i ghts in this vacuum cham-
iles above Johnston Island in the Pacific Ocean ber si mulated on the prototype exposure t o the sun 's
_ mitted a flux of high-energy electrons that be- heat anticipated on the satell i te in spac e .
Page 4 NASA FACTS (F-12-62)
SATELLITES
Canada, France, Italy, United Kingdom , the Soviet
Union and European Space Research Organization
LAUNCH AND ORBITAL DATA (ESRO).
SOUNDING ROCKETS
A NASA Thor-Agena B vehicle launched Can- Argentina, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Fed-
ada's Alouette satellite from Point Arguello, eral Republic of Germany, India , Italy, Japan, New
Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Sweden, and U.K.
Calif., at 11 :05 p.m . PDT, September 28, 1962.
GROUND-BASED METEOROLOGY
The satellite's perigee, or closest approach to
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgiu m, Brazil, Burma,
Canada, Chad, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czecho-
slovakia, Denmark, EI Salvador, France , Federal Republic
of Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indo-
nesia, Iraq, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Mauritius,
Moz.ambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Rhodesia/Nyasaland, Senegal, South
Africa, Sudan, Switzerland , Thailand, United Arab
Republic, United Kingdom.
COMMUNICATIONS
Brazil, Canada , Denmark, France, Federal Republic of
Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Spain , Sweden, United
Kingdom.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Canad ian eng ineers at DRTE ' s Ottawa reduct ion center check equ i pm e nt used to pro cess Alou ette data .
periments are being conducted by DRTE; the East Grand Forks, Minn.; Fort Myers, Fla.; Quito,
radiation experiment by Canada's National Re- Ecuador; Antofagasta, Chile; Winkfield, England,
search Council. and Woomera, Australia -Min itrack stations of
Scientific direction of the Alouette project is NASA.
provided by A. H. Zimmerman, Chairman, Ca- (2) Resolute Bay, Northwest Territories; Prince
nadian Defence Research Board, and Homer E. Albert, Saskatchewan; and Ottawa , Ontario-
Newell, Director of NASA Office of Space Stations operaed by the DRTE .
Sciences. Project managers are John H. Chap- (3) Singapore and South Atlanti c Ocean sta-
man of DRTE and John E. Jackson of NASA's tions operated by the British Department of Sci-
Goddard Space Flight Center. entific and Industrial Research .
Thirteen stations in a half dozen countries are Data from the world-wide networ k of stations
gathering information from Alouette. Site are funneled to Goddard Space Fl ight Center,
locations and their directing organizations are Greenbelt, Md., where they are processed and
as follows : forwarded for study to the DRTE, ne ar Ottawo,
(1) St. Johns, Newfoundland; College, Alaska; Ontario, Canada.
• Page 6 NASA FACTS (F-12-62)
NASA FACTS format is designed for bulletin-board display NASA FACTS is an educational publication of NASA's Office
uncut, or for 8 x 10)-2 looseleaf notebook insertion when of Educational Programs and Services. It will be mailed to
cut along dotted lines and folded along solid lines •• For addressees who request it from: NASA, Educational Publica-
notebaak ring insertion, punch at solid dots in the margins. tions Distribution Center, AFEE-1, Washington, D.C., 20546.