The Lunar Orbiter 3 was a spacecraft launched by NASA in 1967 as part of the Lunar Orbiter Program.[3] It was designed primarily to photograph areas of the lunar surface for confirmation of safe landing sites for the Surveyor and Apollo missions. It was also equipped to collect selenodetic, radiation intensity, and micrometeoroid impact data.
Lunar Orbiter 3
Lunar Orbiter 3 image of the Moon, enhanced by LOIRP
The spacecraft was placed in a cislunar trajectory and injected into an elliptical near-equatorial lunar orbit on February 8 at 21:54 UT. The orbit was 210.2 by 1,801.9 kilometres (130.6 mi × 1,119.6 mi) with an inclination of 20.9 degrees and a period of 3 hours 25 minutes. After four days (25 orbits) of tracking the orbit was changed to 55 by 1,847 kilometres (34 mi × 1,148 mi). The spacecraft acquired photographic data from February 15 to 23, 1967, and readout occurred through March 2, 1967. The film advance mechanism showed erratic behavior during this period resulting in a decision to begin readout of the frames earlier than planned. The frames were read out successfully until March 4 when the film advance motor burned out, leaving about 25% of the frames on the takeup reel, unable to be read.
A total of 149 medium resolution and 477 high resolution frames were returned.[4] The frames were of excellent quality with resolution down to 1 metre (3 ft 3 in). Included was a frame of the Surveyor 1 landing site, permitting identification of the location of the spacecraft on the surface. The future landing site of Apollo 14 including Cone crater, was photographed by the orbiter.[5] Accurate data were acquired from all other experiments throughout the mission.[6] The spacecraft was used for tracking purposes until it struck the lunar surface on command at 14.3 degrees N latitude, 97.7 degrees W longitude (selenographic coordinates) on October 9, 1967.
Spacecraft orbit and photographic coverage on the near side (left) and far side (right)
Instruments
Lunar Photographic Studies :
Evaluation of Apollo and Surveyor landing sites
Meteoroid Detectors :
Detection of micrometeoroids in the lunar environment
Caesium Iodide Dosimeters :
Radiation environment en route to and near the Moon
Selenodesy :
Gravitational field and physical properties of the Moon
^Apollo 14 Preliminary. Science Report, NASA Special Publication 272 (SP-272), 1971. Prepared by NASA Manned Spacecraft Center. Scientific and Technical information Office, Washington, D.C.
^Hansen, Thomas P. "Guide to Lunar Orbiter Photographs" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
October 20, 2023
lunar, orbiter, spacecraft, launched, nasa, 1967, part, lunar, orbiter, program, designed, primarily, photograph, areas, lunar, surface, confirmation, safe, landing, sites, surveyor, apollo, missions, also, equipped, collect, selenodetic, radiation, intensity,. The Lunar Orbiter 3 was a spacecraft launched by NASA in 1967 as part of the Lunar Orbiter Program 3 It was designed primarily to photograph areas of the lunar surface for confirmation of safe landing sites for the Surveyor and Apollo missions It was also equipped to collect selenodetic radiation intensity and micrometeoroid impact data Lunar Orbiter 3Lunar Orbiter 3 image of the Moon enhanced by LOIRPMission typeLunar orbiterOperatorNASACOSPAR ID1967 008ASATCAT no 2666Mission duration246 daysSpacecraft propertiesManufacturerLangley Research CenterLaunch mass385 6 kilograms 850 lb 1 Start of missionLaunch dateFebruary 5 1967 01 17 01 1967 02 05UTC01 17 01Z UTC 1 RocketAtlas SLV 3 Agena DLaunch siteCape Canaveral LC 13End of missionDecay dateOctober 9 1967 1967 10 10 Orbital parametersReference systemSelenocentricSemi major axis2 694 kilometers 1 674 mi Eccentricity0 33Periselene altitude1 791 kilometers 1 113 mi Aposelene altitude3 598 kilometers 2 236 mi Inclination20 9 degreesPeriod208 1 minutesEpochFebruary 7 1967 19 00 00 UTC 2 Lunar orbiterOrbital insertionFebruary 8 1967 21 54 UTCImpact site14 18 N 97 42 W 14 3 N 97 7 W 14 3 97 7Orbits1 702Lunar Orbiter program Lunar Orbiter 2Lunar Orbiter 4 Mission summary EditThe spacecraft was placed in a cislunar trajectory and injected into an elliptical near equatorial lunar orbit on February 8 at 21 54 UT The orbit was 210 2 by 1 801 9 kilometres 130 6 mi 1 119 6 mi with an inclination of 20 9 degrees and a period of 3 hours 25 minutes After four days 25 orbits of tracking the orbit was changed to 55 by 1 847 kilometres 34 mi 1 148 mi The spacecraft acquired photographic data from February 15 to 23 1967 and readout occurred through March 2 1967 The film advance mechanism showed erratic behavior during this period resulting in a decision to begin readout of the frames earlier than planned The frames were read out successfully until March 4 when the film advance motor burned out leaving about 25 of the frames on the takeup reel unable to be read A total of 149 medium resolution and 477 high resolution frames were returned 4 The frames were of excellent quality with resolution down to 1 metre 3 ft 3 in Included was a frame of the Surveyor 1 landing site permitting identification of the location of the spacecraft on the surface The future landing site of Apollo 14 including Cone crater was photographed by the orbiter 5 Accurate data were acquired from all other experiments throughout the mission 6 The spacecraft was used for tracking purposes until it struck the lunar surface on command at 14 3 degrees N latitude 97 7 degrees W longitude selenographic coordinates on October 9 1967 nbsp Spacecraft orbit and photographic coverage on the near side left and far side right Instruments Lunar Photographic Studies Evaluation of Apollo and Surveyor landing sitesMeteoroidDetectors Detection of micrometeoroids in the lunar environmentCaesium Iodide Dosimeters Radiation environment en route to and near the MoonSelenodesy Gravitational field and physical properties of the MoonSee also Edit nbsp Spaceflight portalLunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project Exploration of the Moon Lunar Orbiter 1 Lunar Orbiter 2 Lunar Orbiter 4 Lunar Orbiter 5 List of artificial objects on the MoonReferences Edit a b Siddiqi Asif 2018 Beyond Earth A Chronicle of Deep Space Exploration 1958 2016 PDF second ed NASA History Program Office NASA NSSDCA Spacecraft Trajectory Details nssdc gsfc nasa gov Retrieved 2018 05 02 Destination Moon A history of the Lunar Orbiter Program NASA 1976 Retrieved 2022 11 12 Lunar Orbiter Photo Gallery Mission 3 Lunar and Planetary Institute Retrieved 2022 11 13 Apollo 14 Preliminary Science Report NASA Special Publication 272 SP 272 1971 Prepared by NASA Manned Spacecraft Center Scientific and Technical information Office Washington D C Hansen Thomas P Guide to Lunar Orbiter Photographs PDF NASA Retrieved 2022 11 13 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lunar Orbiter 3 amp oldid 1157876253, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
