NSSDCA/COSPAR ID: 1979-082A
This third High-Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO) mission performed a sky survey of gamma rays and cosmic rays in a manner similar to HEAO 1. It had a higher orbital inclination than the previous missions in this series, since the payload consisted primarily of cosmic-ray instrumentation; greater cosmic-ray flux occurs near the earth's magnetic poles. The scientific objectives of the mission were (1) to determine the isotopic composition of the most abundant components of the cosmic-ray flux with atomic mass between 7 and 56, and the flux of each element with atomic number (Z) between Z = 4 and Z = 50; (2) to search for super-heavy nuclei up to Z = 120 and measure the composition of the nuclei with Z >20; (3) to study intensity, spectrum, and time behavior of X-ray and gamma-ray sources between 0.06 and 10 MeV; measure isotropy of the diffuse X-ray and gamma-ray background; and perform an exploratory search for X-and gamma-ray line emissions. The normal operating mode was a continuous celestial scan about the Z axis (which nominally pointed to the sun).
Launch Date: 1979-09-20
Launch Vehicle: Atlas-Centaur
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral, United States
Mass: 2660 kg
Questions and comments about this spacecraft can be directed to: Coordinated Request and User Support Office
Name | Role | Original Affiliation | |
---|---|---|---|
Mr. Richard E. Halpern | Program Manager | NASA Headquarters | |
Dr. John F. Stone | Project Manager | NASA Marshall Space Flight Center | |
Dr. Thomas A. Parnell | Project Scientist | NASA Marshall Space Flight Center | tom.parnell@msfc.nasa.gov |
Dr. Albert G. Opp | Program Scientist | NASA Headquarters |
HEAO 1
HEAO 2 (Einstein Observatory)
The HEAO 3 Archive at HEASARC