Space Technology Research Vehicle
| Mission type | experimental |
|---|---|
| Operator | UK MoD |
| COSPAR ID |
1A: 1994-034B 1B: 1994-034C 1C: 2000-072C 1D: 2000-072D |
| SATCAT № |
1A: 23125 1B: 23126 1C: 26610 1D: 26611 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | DRA |
| Launch mass |
1A & 1B: 50 kg (110 lb) each 1C & 1D: 100 kg (220 lb) each |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date |
1A & 1B: 07:07:19, June 17, 1994 1C & 1D:01:07, November 16, 2000 |
| Rocket |
1A & 1B: Ariane 44LP 1C & 1D:Ariane 5 |
| Launch site | Guiana Space Center |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Perigee |
1A & 1B: 284 km (176 mi) 1C & 1D: 615 km (382 mi) |
| Apogee |
1A & 1B: 35,831 km (22,264 mi) 1C & 1D: 39,269 km (24,401 mi) |
| Inclination |
1A & 1B: 7.1° 1C & 1D:6.4° |
| Period |
1A & 1B: 633 min 1C & 1D: 708 min |
Space Technology Research Vehicle, or STRV was a series of British microsatellites which operated in elliptical orbits around the Earth. The satellites were built by the Defence Research Agency at Farnborough, for the UK Ministry of Defence.
The series of four satellites, launched as two pairs, were designed to test new technologies in the harsh radiation environment of a geostationary transfer orbit. Each satellite had an expected 1 year life-time and carries myriad detectors, sensors and other equipment for a variety of organisations including the UK MoD, ESA and the US Department of Defense. The satellites were controlled from the DRA groundstation at Lasham in the UK. Several of the STRV satellites' experiments also recorded proton and electron data as they repeatedly passed through the Van Allen Belts.
Two satellites were launched in June 1994 and another two were launched in November 2000, from the space center in French Guyana.
STRV 1A and STRV 1B are cube-shaped micro-satellites each with a mass of 50 kg. They were launched into orbit to test new solar cells and measure static charge on its surfaces.
STRV 1C and STRV 1D are cube-shaped micro-satellite each with a mass of 100 kg and carry test technology devices including lithium ion batteries and a GPS receiver.
The satellites form a part of the growing amounts of orbital debris in orbit of Earth.
...
Wikipedia