The Complete Book of Spaceflight: From Apollo 1 to Zero Gravity

OGO (Orbiting Geophysical Observatory)
A series of NASA spacecraft designed to study various
geophysical and solar phenomena in Earth’s magnetosphere
and in interplanetary space. Their orbits were chosen,
with low perigees (points of minimum altitude) and
high apogees (points of maximum altitude), so that they
could sample an enormous range of the near-Earth environment.
Each OGO consisted of a main body, two solar
panels each with solar-oriented experiments, two orbital
plane experiment packages, and six boom experiment
packages. (See table, “OGO Missions.”)
Ohzora
A Japanese satellite, launched by ISAS (Institute of
Space and Astronautical Science), that made optical
observations of the stratosphere and the middle atmosphere,
and in particular studied a geomagnetic anomaly
over the southern Atlantic that had been discovered by
Taiyoseveral years earlier (see Van Allen Belts). Ozhora,
whose name means “sky,” was known as Exos-C before
launch.
OICETS (Optical Inter-orbit Communications Engineering Test Satellite) 303
Ofeq Missions
Spacecraft Launch Date Orbit Mass (kg)
Ofeq 1 Sep. 19, 1988 250 × 1,149 km × 143° 155
Ofeq 2 Apr. 3, 1990 250 × 1,149 km × 143° 160
Ofeq Sep. 15, 1994 Failed; not acknowledged by Israel
Ofeq 3 Apr. 5, 1995 366 × 694 km × 143° 189
Ofeq 4 Jan. 22, 1998 Failed; fell into the Mediterranean Sea
Ofeq 5 May 28, 2002 Similar to that of Ofeq 3 n/a
OGO Missions
Launch
Date: February 14, 1984
Vehicle: M-3S
Site: Kagoshima
Orbit: 247 × 331 km × 75°
Mass at launch: 210 kg
OICETS (Optical Inter-orbit Communications
Engineering Test Satellite)
A Japanese experimental communications satellite that
was scheduled to be launched by NASDA (National
Space Development Agency) in late 2002. OICETS will
play a key role in the development of inter-satellite communications.
The crux of its mission will be a conversation
with ESA’s (European Space Agency’s) ARTEMIS
fixed-orbit communications satellite, using an array of
pointing, targeting, and acquisition hardware. By proving
the space-worthiness of these technologies, OICETS will
help lay the foundation for a global communications network
to support broadcast television, mobile communications,
computer connections, and manned spacecraft.
Spacecraft Date
Launch
Vehicle Site Orbit Mass (kg)
OGO 1 Sep. 5, 1964 Atlas-Agena B Cape Canaveral 4,930 × 144,824 km × 40.7° 487
OGO 2 Oct. 14, 1965 Atlas-Agena D Vandenberg 419 × 1,515 km × 87.4° 507
OGO 3 Jun. 9, 1966 Atlas-Agena B Cape Canaveral 19,519 × 102,806 km × 77.6° 634
OGO 4 Jul. 28, 1967 Atlas-Agena D Vandenberg 422 × 885 km × 86.0° 634
OGO 5 Mar. 4, 1968 Atlas-IIIA Cape Canaveral 271 × 148,186 km × 54.0° 634
OGO 6 Jun. 5, 1969 Atlas-Agena D Vandenberg 397 × 1,089 km × 82.0° 634