Explorer 41
Explorer 41 satellite | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Names | IMP-G IMP-5 Interplanetary Monitoring Platform-5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Mission type | Space physics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | NASA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COSPAR ID | 1969-053A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATCAT no. | 03990 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mission duration | 3.5 years (achieved) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spacecraft properties | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spacecraft | Explorer XLI | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spacecraft type | Interplanetary Monitoring Platform | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bus | IMP | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer | Goddard Space Flight Center | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Launch mass | 175 kg (386 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Start of mission | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Launch date | 21 June 1969, 08:47:58 GMT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rocket | Thor-Delta E1 (Thor 482 / Delta 069) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Launch site | Vandenberg, SLC-2W | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Contractor | Douglas Aircraft Company | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Entered service | 21 June 1969 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| End of mission | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last contact | 23 December 1972 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Decay date | 23 December 1972 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Orbital parameters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Regime | Highly elliptical orbit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Perigee altitude | 3,920 km (2,440 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apogee altitude | 172,912 km (107,443 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Inclination | 85.10° | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Period | 4840.90 minutes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Instruments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Explorer 41, also called IMP-G and IMP-5, was a NASA satellite launched as part of the Explorers program. Explorer 41 launched on 21 June 1969 from Vandenberg AFB, California, with a Thor-Delta E1 launch vehicle. Explorer 41 was the seventh satellite launched as part of the overall Interplanetary Monitoring Platform series, though it received the post-launch designation "IMP-5" because two previous flights had used the "AIMP" ("Anchored IMP") designation instead. It was preceded by the second of those flights, Explorer 35 ([A]IMP-E / AIMP-2), launched in July 1967. Its predecessor in the strict IMP series of launches was Explorer 34, launched in May 1967, which shared a similar design to Explorer 41. The next launch of an IMP satellite was Explorer 43 (IMP-I / IMP-6) in 1971.