Ariel VI
UK6, which became Ariel VI in orbit, was launched from the Wallops Island
Launch Center in the United States on 2 June 1979. The orbit obtained was a
600 km x 650 km elliptical orbit, at an inclination of 55 degrees. It
carried 3 scientific instruments: one was a cosmic ray experiment and
2 were X-ray experiments. The X-ray detectors consisted of multi-layered
proportional counters which were sensitive to the energy range 1-50 keV. The
total effective area was ~300 sq-cm. There was also a collector system
sensitive to 0.25 keV X-rays. The scientific output of these experiments was
severely limited by electromagnetic interference from ground-based radar
hampering the pointing operations. Ariel VI continued to provide data
until February 1982. |
Mission Overview