Multi-satellite launchIn 1961, the first U.S. rocket to launch three satellites was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Thor-Able-Star rocket Omicron 1 carried 3 payloads, The first, Transit 4A weighed 1,175-pounds with an atomic radio-isotope powered battery of the Snap series. The battery (4.7-lb; about 5"x5") was placed at the top of the drum-shaped craft to provide 2.7 watts of electricity for 5-yrs. Injun (40-lb to gather data on the radiation belts); and Greb 3 (55-lb to gather data on X-ray radiation from the sun.) The previous year, a similar rocket launched a payload of 2 satellites on 22 Jun 1960. A launch of 8 satellites on one rocket took place 9 Mar 1965. |
