The paper describes the satellites and their use both as part of a demonstration of the feasibility of satellite communications at VHF/UHF to small mobile terminals and as test beds for experimental subsystems of interest to spacecraft designers. Both spacecraft employed highly efficient solid-state RF sources and circularly polarized antennas. The LES-6 antenna was electronically despun to realize about 8.5 db gain. Experiments emphasized autonomous satellite operations in stationkeeping and attitude control. The stationkeeping thrust was provided by a novel pulsed plasma thruster. Other experiments measured uplink RF interference in the band from 255 to 315 MHz, localized earth albedo in the visible spectrum, and the effects of the synchronous orbit environment on solar cells. The on-orbit performance of the satellites and the experimental subsystems are included. (Author)
Lincoln Experimental Satellites 5 and 6
1970
13 pages
Report
No indication
English
Unmanned Spacecraft , Communication satellites(Active) , Design , Transponders , Solar cells , Satellite antennas , Stabilization , Radiofrequency interference , Logic circuits , Attitude control systems , Plasma engines , Reliability(Electronics) , Reprints , LES-5 satellite , LES-6 satellite , Stationkeeping
Lincoln experimental satellites 5 and 6
AIAA | 1970
|Lincoln Experimental Satellites 5 and 6
AIAA | 1971
|