Object Details
- Manufacturer
- NASA - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Summary
- This is a flight spare of a power and data cable for a Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU), an instrument flown on Tiros meteorological satellites beginning with Tiros-N in 1978.
- The MSU's purpose was to measure the temperature profile of the Earth's atmosphere from the planet's surface to a height of 20 km. MSU, manufactured at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and other instruments on the Tiros series of satellites are part of on-going program to gather a range of data on the characteristics of and changes to the Earth's atmosphere over a period of years. MSU data on atmospheric temperatures has contributed to scientific discussions of whether the Earth is experiencing a warming trend.
- The last MSU flown in space, launched on the NOAA-14 satellite (part of the Tiros program) in 1994, is still gathering data as of 2007.
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration transferred this artifact to the Museum in 2004.
- Credit Line
- Transferred from National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.
- Inventory Number
- A20040176002
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Type
- SPACECRAFT-Uncrewed-Instruments & Payloads
- Materials
- Plastic
- Copper
- Paint
- Anodized Aluminum
- Dimensions
- 9 7/16" x 5 1/2" x 1 3/16"
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- See more items in
- National Air and Space Museum Collection
- National Air and Space Museum
- Record ID
- nasm_A20040176002
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv9bf728ab9-ed5d-4dbd-b57f-777c305d2d5b
