Miranda (satellite)
| COSPAR ID | 1974-013A |
|---|---|
| SATCAT № | 07213[1] |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Hawker Siddeley Dynamics |
| Launch mass | 92 kilograms (203 lb)[2] |
| Power | 2 deployable solar arrays |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 9 March 1974, 02:22:00 UTC |
| Rocket | Scout D-1 |
| Launch site | Vandenberg SLC-5 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth Orbit |
| Perigee | 668 kilometres (415 mi) |
| Apogee | 841 kilometres (523 mi) |
| Inclination | 98 degrees |
| Period | 100 minutes |
Miranda, also known as X-4, is a British satellite in low Earth orbit. The satellite was launched in March 1974 as an engineering test bed of technologies in orbit.[2]
Launch
Miranda was due to be launched by a British Black Arrow rocket, but due to the project's cancellation the payload was instead launched on a NASA-owned rocket.[2]
Mission
Designed as an engineering test bed for various technologies in orbit, Miranda carried various sensors and detectors.[2]
Current Status
The satellite is now non-active, but remains in low Earth orbit. Miranda is part of the vast amounts of space junk in orbit around the Earth and will decay into the atmosphere some time in the future.
See also
References
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