Prognoz 2 was launched on 29 June 1972. It was put into a highly elliptical orbit with apogee 200,000 km, perigee 550 km, and inclination 65 degrees. It carried the first instrument package, SIGNE 1, resulting from the Franco-Soviet SIGNE collaboration. This instrument was intended to perform solar radiation studies. However, it detected cosmic gamma-ray bursts as well as solar events.
Prognoz 2 reentered the atmosphere on 15 December 1982.
Mission Characteristics
Lifetime
29 Jun 1972–15 Dec 1982
Lifetime
29 Jun 1972–15 Dec 1982
Payload
Instrument
Characteristic
Details
Solar International Gamma-ray and Neutron Experiments (SIGNE) 1
Energy Range
0.4–11.8 MeV
Effective Area
∼17.1 cm2
The SIGNE 1 detector consisted of a Stilbene scintillator, 38.1 mm in diameter and 38.1 mm high. It was shielded by a plastic anti-coincidence scintillator. There were 8 energy channels: 0.4–0.7 MeV, 0.7–1.0 MeV, 1–1.6 MeV, 1.6–2.4 MeV, 2.4–2.9 MeV, 2.9–3.9 MeV, 3.9–8.1 MeV, and 8.1–11.8 MeV. Counts were integrated for every 41 or 160 seconds, depending on the experiment mode.
Solar International Gamma-ray and Neutron Experiments (SIGNE) 1
Energy Range
0.4–11.8 MeV
Effective Area
∼17.1 cm2
The SIGNE 1 detector consisted of a Stilbene scintillator, 38.1 mm in diameter and 38.1 mm high. It was shielded by a plastic anti-coincidence scintillator. There were 8 energy channels: 0.4–0.7 MeV, 0.7–1.0 MeV, 1–1.6 MeV, 1.6–2.4 MeV, 2.4–2.9 MeV, 2.9–3.9 MeV, 3.9–8.1 MeV, and 8.1–11.8 MeV. Counts were integrated for every 41 or 160 seconds, depending on the experiment mode.
