NSSDCA ID: 1959-004A-02
Mission Name: Explorer 6The scintillation counter experiment was designed to make direct observations of electrons in the earth's radiation belts with a detector insensitive to bremsstrahlung. This experiment consisted of a cylindrical plastic scintillator cemented to a photomultiplier tube. The instrument viewed space through a foil-covered window in the payload shell, but the instrument also responded to more energetic particles passing through the payload shell. The minimum energies detectable were 200 keV for electrons and 2 MeV for protons. For electrons between 200 and 500 keV, the detector efficiency times the omnidirectional geometric factor was 0.0008 sq cm count per electron; whereas for electrons of energy greater than 500 keV, it was 0.16 sq cm count per electron. For very penetrating particles, the geometrical factor rose to its maximum value of 3.5 sq cm. The scintillation counter was sampled continuously for analog transmission and intermittently (every 2 min, 15 s, or 1.9 s, depending upon the satellite bit rate) for digital transmission. The transmitter broadcasting the analog data for this experiment failed on September 11, 1959. Data were received on a limited duty cycle from the digital transmitter until early October, 1959. NSSDC has all the useful data that now exist.
Mass: 2.1 kg
Questions and comments about this experiment can be directed to: Coordinated Request and User Support Office
Name | Role | Original Affiliation | |
---|---|---|---|
Dr. Alan Rosen | Other Investigator | TRW Systems Group | |
Dr. Thomas A. Farley | Other Investigator | University of California, Los Angeles | |
Dr. Charles P. Sonett | Principal Investigator | University of Arizona |