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Draft:Tomographic Experiment using Radiative Recombinative Ionospheric EUV and Radio Sources

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Tomographic Experiment using Radiative Recombinative Ionospheric EUV and Radio Sources (TERRIERS) is a NASA artificial satellite created by the SEDI program (Student Explorer Demonstration Initiative). It launched on 18 May 1999 from Vadenberg Space Force Base on a Pegasus rocket. The mission failed when the spacecraft was unable to orient its solar panel towards the Sun, and its batteries died 2 days after launch.

Objective

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The Terriers mission was to study the Earth's upper atmosphere, using tomography to create a model of the ionosphere. It was also intended to build a 3-dimensional map of the electron density in the upper atmosphere and measure solar radiation.

Characteristics

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The satellite was designed to spin at three revolutions per minute, using a photodiode and magnetic coils to control its spin rate and velocity. The body of the satellite was similar to High Energy Transient Explorer 1.

References

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  • Wade, Mark (2008). "TERRIERS". Archived from the original on 7 January 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2009.
  • Darling, David (2009). "TERRIERS (Tomographic Experiment using Radiative Recombinative Ionospheric EUV and Radio Sources)". Retrieved 29 June 2009.

Category:Earth observation satellites Category:Spacecraft launched in 1999 Category:Satellites of the United States