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

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Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy & Sustainable Living
Encyclopedia of History

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