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- Explorer 32 was an aeronomy satellite which was designed to directly measure temperatures, composition, densities, and pressures in the upper atmosphere on a global basis. The satellite was a stainless steel, vacuum-sealed sphere, 0.889 m in diameter. The experimental payload included one ion and two neutral mass spectrometers, three magnetron density gauges, and two electrostatic probes. Additional equipment included optical and magnetic aspect sensors, magnetic attitude and spin rate control systems, and a tape recorder for data acquisition at locations remote from ground receiving stations. Power was supplied by silver-zinc batteries and a solar cell array mounted on the satellite exterior. Two identical pulse-modulated telemetry systems and a canted turnstile antenna were employed. The two neutral-particle mass spectrometers failed about 6 days after launch. The remaining experiments operated satisfactorily and provided useful data for most of the 10-month satellite lifetime. The spacecraft ceased to function due to battery failures which resulted from depressurization of the sphere. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/database/MasterCatalog?sc=1966-044A Group: Platform_Details Entry_ID: AE-B Group: Platform_Identification Platform_Category: Earth Observation Satellites Platform_Series_or_Entity: AE (Atmosphere Explorer) Short_Name: AE-B Long_Name: Atmosphere Explorer B (Explorer 32) End_Group Group: Synonymous_Platform_Names Short_Name: Explorer 32 Short_Name: 02183 End_Group Group: Platform_Associated_Instruments Short_Name: MASS SPECTROMETERS Short_Name: ELECTROSTATIC ANALYZERS End_Group Group: Orbit Orbit_Inclination: 64.67 degrees Perigee: 276 km Apogee: 2725 km End_Group Creation_Date: 2007-08-22 Online_Resource: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/database/MasterCatalog?sc=1966-044A Group: Platform_Logistics Launch_Date: 1966-05-25 Primary_Sponsor: NASA End_Group End_Group
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