Pegasus (spacecraft)

The Pegasus program is three American satellites launched in 1965 to study the frequency of micrometeorite effects on spacecraft . All three Pegasus satellites were launched by the Saturn I rocket, and remained connected to their upper steps.

Pegasus
Pegasus Satellite Attached to the Upper Step S-IV
General information
Manufacturer	Fairchild aircraft
A country	USA
Application	Micrometeorite Detection
Specifications
Length	13.6 feet (4.1 m )
Width	96 ft (29 m )
Weight	1,450 kilograms (3,200 pounds)
Production
Made	3
Launched	3
First start	February 16, 1965
Last run	July 30, 1965

The Pegasus satellite was named after the winged horse from ancient Greek mythology and was first launched into space by NASA's Saturn I rocket on February 16, 1965 . Like the character of ancient Greek mythology, the Pegasus satellite was known for its pair of “wings” 96 feet (29 m) long, 14-feet (4.3 m) wide - an array of 104 panels equipped with sensors for detecting punctures with micrometeorites at high altitudes in support for the Apollo program , for the implementation of manned lunar landing missions, since 1970 . It was believed that micrometeorites were potentially dangerous for the Apollo crew, as they could penetrate the spacecraft casing. The sensors successfully measured the frequency, size, direction and penetration of dozens of micrometeorites. The satellites also had samples of protective shields mounted on arrays.

NASA's Marshall Space Center was responsible for the development, production, and operation of the three Pegasus satellites, which were launched by the Saturn I rocket in 1965. After disconnecting the first stage and igniting the second stage, the emergency rescue system was thrown overboard. When the second stage reached orbit, a mock - up of the command and service module weighing 10,000 pounds was allocated to a separate orbit. And then, with the help of a motor, Pegasus spread his wings-like panels (each 29 m long). Thus, the "wings" of Pegasus remained attached to the second stage of Saturn I, as planned.

A television camera mounted on the inside of the service module adapter, as one historian wrote, “captured the image of the gloomy quiet wings of Pegasus.” The satellite tested more than 2,300 square feet (210 m²) of instrument surface with varying thicknesses — down to 0.016 inches (0.41 mm).

Ernst Stühlinger , then Director of the Research Projects Laboratory at the Marshall Space Center, noted that all three Pegasus satellites provided more than just micrometeorite penetration data collection. Scientists were also able to collect data on the gyroscopic movements and orbital characteristics of solids in space, the lifetime of electronic components and thermal control systems in outer space, and the effect of space on thermal protective coatings. Historian Roger Bilstein said that for physicists, the Pegasus project provided information on the radiation conditions of space, the radiation belts of Van Allen and other phenomena.