International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE)
The first satellite totally dedicated to ultraviolet astronomy. Launched in January 1978, IUE was a joint mission of NASA and the European Space Agency; it carried a 45-cm-diameter telescope and two spectrographs for use in the range 115 to 320 nm. It operated successfully for more than 18 years – the longest-lived astronomical satellite – until it was switched off in 1996.
| launch date |
Jan. 26, 1978 |
| launch vehicle |
Delta 2914 |
| launch site |
Cape Canaveral |
| orbit |
30,285 × 41,296 km × 34.3 |
| mass |
672 kg |
Related category
SATELLITES AND SPACE PROBES
Also on this site:
Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy & Sustainable Living
Encyclopedia of History
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