AEROS (satellite)

AEROS -A and AEROS -B (also: Aeros Aeros 1 and 2) were two aeronomy satellite, developed their scientific program in cooperation with the U.S. NASA and the Federal German DFVLR and have operated from these two institutions. The prime contractor for development and production of satellites was the Dornier System GmbH.

Experiments

The formulated by Karl Rawer program provided to measure as the cause of the most important processes, the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation of the sun and spectroscopy to determine simultaneously the most important data of the neutral and charged moieties of the atmosphere as a result. Of the five experiments, the board EUV spectrometer by G. Schmidtke aimed to cause during the NASA experiment (NW Spencer ) kinetic neutral temperature and density, and K. Spenners back tension analyzer densities and temperatures of the electrons and ions in particular. Two further experiments were a mass spectrometric measurement of neutrals and ions (D. Crane Frankowski and P. lambs number ), or the persecution rapid changes of plasma density (E. Neske ). In AEROS - A, the latter experiment failed.

Satellite

Both satellite had a mass of 127 kg, and were started with a Scout rocket from Station 5: Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Results

After calibration in flight, the two satellites allowed a longer, absolutely calibrated measurement of the solar EUV for the first time. By subsequent critical comparisons of redundant measurements consistent sets of neutral and ion data were obtained. These have been incorporated into international models of the neutral upper atmosphere and ionosphere. In particular, the electron and ion data were in their time important basic data for the operated jointly by URSI and COSPAR International Reference Ionosphere project (see web link).