SATELLITES & SPACE PROBES A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z           HOME ABOUT CATEGORIES SITE MAP COPYRIGHT ADVERTISE CONTACT entire Web this site Aeros Artist's concept of Aeros in orbit A pair of German satellites that investigated the ionosphere in the 1970s. Both were launched by Scout D rockets from Vandenberg Air Force Base. In June 1969, NASA and the German Ministry for Scientific Research (BMwF) agreed a cooperative project that would orbit a German scientific satellite designed to study particle behavior in the Earth's upper atmosphere. In early 1969 BMwF named the proposed aeronomy satellite after Aeros, ancient Greek god of the air. Aeros, the second U.S.-German cooperative research satellite, following Azur, was designated GRS-A-2 by NASA before launch, assuming its proper name when successfully launched. ("Aeros" also had been used earlier as a name for the Synchronous Meteorological Satellite project.) Spacecraft Launch date Mass Orbit Aeros 1 Dec. 16, 1972 223 × 867 km × 96.9° 127 kg Aeros 2 Jul. 16, 1974 224 × 869 km × 97.5° 127 kg Related category    • SATELLITES AND SPACE PROBES Also on this site: Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy & Sustainable Living Encyclopedia of History Transport Concepts & Designs (partner site) BACK TO TOP