Satellite, AOSO, Advanced Orbiting Solar Observatory, Flight Model

Object Details

Summary: This is the full-scale engineering flight model of the Advanced Orbiting Solar Observatory (AOSO) representing its most complete configuration. This satellite was designed as a scaled-up counterpart to the Orbiting Solar Observatory series in the early 1960s. It was conceived as a free-flying, robotic, polar-orbiting satellite system capable of continuously monitoring the sun and near solar environment using an array of detectors and electronic imaging devices covering a broad frequency band from the x-ray to the visual range. Many of the scientific instruments planned for AOSO eventually were developed for the Skylab Apollo Telescope Mount, which flew in 1973.; The AOSO program was canceled in 1965, and this object was transferred to NASM by NASA in 1969. The historical question remains: why was AOSO cancelled? One conjecture: in the mid-1960s electronic imaging and recording was still not reliable enough to handle very high resolution images of spectra and spatial objects. Film recording required either on-board scanning and telemetry, or physical return. The latter would be possible if the satellite was periodically attended by astronauts. This requjirement lent itself to plans for the post-Apollo Skylab program. Accordingly, the array of telescopes, as reconfigured for Skylab, came to be known as the Apollo Telescope Mount.
Alternate Name: Advanced Orbiting Solar Observatory

Credit Line: Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Materials: Aluminum sheet and bar stock
Dimensions: Overall: 4ft 12in. x 10ft 6in., 1075lb. (152.4 x 320cm, 487.6kg)

National Air and Space Museum

GUID (Link to Original Record): http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv96b0e7936-83ab-493c-9a6a-073cbdc306fa