The History of Sounding Rockets and Their Contribution to ... - ESA

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- a further experiment (RN 104) by Dr. Atzei of the IAP team was fl own by ESA in October 1967. It
measured the vertical distribution of pressure, temperature and density at altitudes between 20 and
90 km. Pressure was measured at the surface of the rocket and at the stagnation point using a
gauge
- the IAP team also performed studies of meteoric aerosols above 80 km altitude.
B. The experiment by the CEN Saclay group, led by Prof. J. Labeyrie, had the objective of performing
X-ray spectroscopy from space. For this task, the group used proportional counters with an auto-coincidence
facility to eliminate particular radiation.
The group also performed other sounding-rocket experiments such as:
- spectrometry of gamma-rays in space, for which scintillation spectrographs were used: a photomultiplier
collected gamma-ray scintillations from sodium-iodide (NaI) crystals and from a plastic
scintillation counter
- measurement of the intensity of solar X-ray spectra during a solar-fl are event: for this, a proportional
counter was used, which provided 100 channels for amplitude analysis.
C. The experiment by a team from Toulouse University, led by Prof. F. Cambou, had the objective of performing
spectroscopy of auroral protons and determining their contribution to auroral phenomena. The
protons’ energy distribution throughout the rocket trajectory was measured using solid lithium detectors,
as was magnetic defl ection.
A further experiment conducted by the University group involved measuring the intensity of the 3914 A
nitrogen line and the hydrogen line in an aurora with the help of two photomultipliers and fi lters centred
on these two lines.
D. An experiment by a research team from the Cosmic Physics Laboratory at Meudon, led by Prof. J.E.
Blamont, took measurements of local temperatures in the upper atmosphere by observing vibration and
rotational spectra of aluminium oxide, ejected by an explosion of TNT carried by a rocket.
Franco - American Cooperation
Rocket type Altitude Range/year Research centre/objectives
2 Aerobee 150 280 km Wallops Island / Oct. 1963 CNET, Ionosphere irregularities via parallel
VLF fi eld strength and local
2 Aerobee 150 280 km Wallops Island / Sept. 1965 Electron density measurements
2 Dragon 400 km Hammaguir, CNES & Goddard Space Flight Center,
2 Centaure 190 km Algeria / 4 in April 1964 Charged particles & neutral gas temp.
1 Aerobee 150 280 km White Sands / Nov. 1964 CNRS: One of several experiments providing
1 Aerobee 150 280 km White Sands / Nov. 1965 special sample surfaces to collect and analyse
1 Aerobee 150 280 km White Sands / June 1967 extraterrestrial dust particles as part of the
Luster project