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Oreol 1, 2 (Aureole 1, 2 / DS-U2-GKA / ARCAD 1, 2)

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Oreol 1 (Aureole 1)

The Oreol 1 and 2 or Aureole 1 and 2 satellites were a joint Soviet-French science mission called ARCAD (Arctic Aurora Density) to investigate physical phenomena in the Earth's upper atmosphere at high latitudes and to study of the nature of auroras.

The satellite were built by Yuzhnoye based on their DS-U2 satellite bus and featured both Soviet and French science instruments.

Oreol 1 or Aureole 1 was launched on 27 December 1971 on a Kosmos-3M rocket from the Plesetsk cosmodrome.

The second satellite to continue the measurements, Oreol 2 or Aureole 2 was launched two years later on 26 December 1973 also on a Kosmos-3M rocket from the Plesetsk cosmodrome.

Nation: USSR, France
Type / Application: Science, Magnetosphere
Operator:
Contractors: Yuzhnoye
Equipment:
Configuration: DS-U2
Propulsion:
Power: 4 deployable fixed solar arrays, solar cells, batteries
Lifetime: 40 days
Mass: 348 kg
Orbit: 399 km × 2474 km, 73.99� (#1); 399 km × 1971 km, 74.00� (#2)
Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
Oreol 1 (Aureole 1, DS-U2-GKA #1, ARCAD 2) 1971-119A 27.12.1971 Pl LC-132/2 Kosmos-3M
Oreol 2 (Aureole 2, DS-U2-GKA #2, ARCAD 2) 1973-107A 26.12.1973 Pl LC-132/2 Kosmos-3M

Launch Sites:

  • Pl =   Plesetsk (NIIP-53, GIK-1, GNIIP), USSR   USSR

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