ARTIFICIAL COMET

Abstract

IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE COORDINATES OF THE SECOND Soviet cosmic rocket by methods of optical astronomy, a cloud of sodium vapor, a so-called artificial comet, was released from the rocket. The artificial comet was formed on September 12, 1959 at 21 hr 49 min 30 sec. Twin photographic cameras and electronic telescopes were developed to observe the artificial comet. Fourteen photographs of successive stages of the expansion of the sodium cloud were obtained. The expansion velocity was of the order of 2 km/sec, and the diameter of the cloud at the end of the observations reached 1200 km. The large number of exposures makes it possible to trace the entire picture of the development of a sodium cloud. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 07, 1961
Accession Number
AD0262610

Entities

People

  • V.f. Yesipov
  • V.i. Moroz

Organizations

  • National Air and Space Intelligence Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Astronomy
  • Cameras
  • Diameters
  • Observation
  • Optical Equipment
  • Photographic Equipment
  • Photographic Materials
  • Photographs
  • Photography
  • Physical Properties
  • Telescopes

Readers

  • Geodesy
  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Space
  • Space - Space Objects