Orba (satellite)

Orba
Mission type	Atmospheric
Operator	RAE
Mission duration	Failed to orbit
Start of mission
Launch date	2 September 1970, 00:34:05 UTC
Rocket	Black Arrow R2
Launch site	Woomera LA-5B
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Epoch	Planned

Orba , also known as X-2 , was intended to be the first satellite launched by a British rocket. It was launched at 00:34 GMT on 2 September 1970, atop a Black Arrow rocket from Launch Area 5B at Woomera , but failed to reach orbit after the second stage of the carrier rocket shut down 13 seconds early. ^[1] Orba was built from spare parts due to funding restrictions, ^[2] and was to have been used to measure upper atmosphere density by monitoring the decay of its orbit. ^[3]

References [ edit ]

^ Wade, Mark. "Black Arrow" . Encyclopedia Astronautica . Archived from the original on 6 December 2007 . Retrieved 28 October 2008 .
^ Hill, Nicholas. "Black Arrow" . A Vertical Empire . Space UK. Archived from the original on 24 March 2003 . Retrieved 28 October 2008 . {{ cite web }}: CS1 maint: unfit URL ( link )
^ Krebs, Gunter. "Orba (X 2)" . Gunter's Space Page . Retrieved 28 October 2008 .

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[EA-BA-1] Wade, Mark. "Black Arrow" . Encyclopedia Astronautica . Archived from the original on 6 December 2007 . Retrieved 28 October 2008 .

[VE-BA-2] Hill, Nicholas. "Black Arrow" . A Vertical Empire . Space UK. Archived from the original on 24 March 2003 . Retrieved 28 October 2008 . {{ cite web }}: CS1 maint: unfit URL ( link )

[GSP-3] Krebs, Gunter. "Orba (X 2)" . Gunter's Space Page . Retrieved 28 October 2008 .

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e Black Arrow rockets
Main articles	Black Arrow British space programme
Components	Gamma Waxwing
Payloads	Orba R2 Instrument Package Prospero
Related	Woomera Test Range Woomera Launch Area 5 Black Knight Blue Streak Black Prince

See also [ edit ]

References [ edit ]