GEOS-3, or Geodynamics Experimental Ocean Satellite 3, or GEOS-C, was the third and final satellite as part of NASA's Geodetic Earth Orbiting Satellite/Geodynamics Experimental Ocean Satellite program (NGSP)[3] to better understand and test satellite tracking systems.[4] For GEOS 1 and GEOS 2, the acronym stands for Geodetic Earth Orbiting Satellite; this was changed for GEOS-3.[4]
![]() GEOS-3 | |
Mission type | Geodesy |
---|---|
Operator | NASA |
COSPAR ID | 1975-027A ![]() |
SATCAT no. | 7734 |
Website | ilrs.gsfc.nasa.gov |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft type | GEOS |
Manufacturer | JHU / APL |
Launch mass | 346 kilograms (763 lb) |
Dimensions | 1.32 by 0.81 meters (4.3 ft × 2.7 ft) 6 meters (20 ft) long with boom deployed |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 9 April 1975, 23:58:02 (1975-04-09UTC23:58:02Z) UTC[1] |
Rocket | Delta 1410 |
Launch site | Vandenberg SLC-2W |
Contractor | NASA |
End of mission | |
Deactivated | July 1979 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Low Earth |
Semi-major axis | 7,208.68 kilometers (4,479.27 mi) |
Eccentricity | 0.001273 |
Perigee altitude | 828 kilometers (514 mi) |
Apogee altitude | 846 kilometers (526 mi) |
Inclination | 114.98 degrees |
Period | 101.52 minutes |
Epoch | 14 January 2014, 03:51:02 UTC[2] |
Instruments | |
| |
The satellite mission was designed to further an understanding of the earth's gravitational field, size and shape of the terrestrial geoid, deep ocean tides, sea state, current structure, crustal structure, solid earth dynamics, and remote sensing technology.[5] Jerome Rosenburg at NASA Headquarters initiated the GEOS-3 project in 1970.[5] The project was to serve as a stepping stone between the GEOS program and the emerging NASA Earth and Ocean Physics Application Program.[5] GEOS-1 and GEOS-2 had provided useful information about the structure of the earth's gravitational field, but new technology was deemed necessary to gain a further understanding.[5] The project was cancelled due to budgetary concerns after an initial 1-year study, but was re-instated in late 1971.[5] The satellite was launched on April 9, 1975 and remained operational until late July 1979.[6]
The following is a list of instruments/systems that were on board or part of the GEOS-3 satellite, including a description of their general purpose:[5][7]
The GEOS-3 mission provided data that furthered scientific understanding in various fields. The ocean height data set from this mission provided the first comprehensive coverage in most areas of the world's oceans, providing a better understanding of the ocean geoid.[5] Ocean height also provided information about quasi-stationary departures from the geoid (the sea surface topography), for events like currents, eddies, storm surges, etc.[5] The return waveform data was used to better understand the sea state at a level that was comparable to buoy-collected data.[5] An unexpected result was the ability to use waveform data to derive surface wind speed, and the ability to maintain track over terrain and ice.[5] Altimeter data from GEOS-3 has been utilized by many Earth's gravity models, including GEM-T3, JGM-1 and JGM-2.[6]
← 1974 · Orbital launches in 1975 · 1976 → | |
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Soyuz 17 | Kosmos 702 | Kosmos 703 | Landsat 2 | Kosmos 704 | Kosmos 705 | Kosmos 706 | Kosmos 707 | Molniya-2-12 | Starlette | SMS-2 | Kosmos 708 | Kosmos 709 | Intelsat IV F-6 | Taiyo | Kosmos 710 | Kosmos 711 · Kosmos 712 · Kosmos 713 · Kosmos 714 · Kosmos 715 · Kosmos 716 · Kosmos 717 · Kosmos 718 | OPS 2439 | Kosmos 719 | Kosmos 720 | Kosmos 721 · Nauka-5KSA No.4 | Kosmos 722 | Interkosmos 13 | Meteor-M No.31 | Kosmos 723 | Soyuz 7K-T No.39 | Kosmos 724 | Kosmos 725 | GEOS-3 | Kosmos 726 | RM-20 | Molniya-3 No.12 | Kosmos 727 | Kosmos 728 | OPS 4883 | Aryabhata | Kosmos 729 | Kosmos 730 | Molniya-1-29 | Explorer 53 | Anik A3 | Polluz · Castor | OPS 9435 · OPS 9436 | Kosmos 731 · Nauka-9KS No.2 | Intelsat IV F-1 | OPS 6226 | Soyuz 18 | Kosmos 732 · Kosmos 733 · Kosmos 734 · Kosmos 735 · Kosmos 736 · Kosmos 737 · Kosmos 738 · Kosmos 739 | Kosmos 740 | Kosmos 741 | DS-U3-IK No.5 | Kosmos 742 | Molniya-1 No.24 · SRET-2 | Venera 9 | OPS 6381 · P-226-1 | Nimbus 6 | Kosmos 743 | Venera 10 | OPS 4966 | Kosmos 744 | OSO-8 | Kosmos 745 | Kosmos 746 | Kosmos 747 | Kosmos 748 | Kosmos 749 | Molniya-2-13 | Meteor-2 No.1 | Apollo-Soyuz | DM-2 | Kosmos 750 | Kosmos 751 | Kosmos 752 | Ji Shu Shiyan Weixing 1 | Kosmos 753 | Cos-B | Kosmos 754 | Kosmos 755 | Viking 1 | Kosmos 756 | Symphonie 2 | Kosmos 757 | Molniya-1-31 | Kosmos 758 | Molniya-2-14 | Kiku 1 | Viking 2 | Kosmos 759 | Kosmos 760 | Kosmos 761 · Kosmos 762 · Kosmos 763 · Kosmos 764 · Kosmos 765 · Kosmos 766 · Kosmos 767 · Kosmos 768 | Meteor-M No.28 | Kosmos 769 | Kosmos 770 | Kosmos 771 | Intelsat IVA F-1 | Aura | Kosmos 772 | Kosmos 773 | Kosmos 774 | Explorer 54 | Kosmos 775 | OPS 5499 | Triad 2 | E-8-5M No.412 | GOES 1 | Kosmos 776 | Kosmos 777 | Kosmos 778 | Kosmos 779 | Molniya-3 No.13 | Soyuz 20 | Explorer 55 | Kosmos 780 | Kosmos 781 | Kosmos 782 | Fanhui Shi Weixing 2 | Kosmos 783 | Kosmos 784 | OPS 4428 · OPS 5547 | DAD-A · DAD-B | Interkosmos 14 | Kosmos 785 | Satcom 1 | OPS 3165 | Ji Shu Shiyan Weixing 2 | Kosmos 786 | Molniya-2-15 | Unnamed | Prognoz 4 | Gran' No.11L | Meteor No.38 | Molniya-3 No.15 | |
Payloads are separated by bullets ( · ), launches by pipes ( | ). Crewed flights are indicated in underline. Uncatalogued launch failures are listed in italics. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are denoted in (brackets). |