
Polar Bear
Polar Beacon Experiment &
Auroral Research
Polar Bear, also known as STP P87-1, was a military mission designed to study communications interference caused by solar flares and increased auroral activity. The data from the mission complements data taken by its predecessor, HILAT. The core vehicle was a Transit navigational satellite that was retrieved from the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum where it had been on display for 8 years.
Spacecraft
Gravity gradient stabilized by deployable boom with tip mass. 4 small deployable solar arrays.
Payload
Auroral Imaging Remote Sensor imaged the aurora boralis; Beacon Experiment monitored ionospheric propagation over the poles.
Country of Origin | United States |
Customer/User | USAF, Defense Nuclear Agency |
Manufacturer(s) | JHU/APL |
Size | Approx 1.3 x 0.4 x 0.4 m (stowed) |
Orbit | 962 x 1019 km, incl. = 89.5 deg |
Design Life | Transit design life = 3 years |
Launch Facts
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Name | Int'l Desig. | Date | Site | Vehicle | Orbit | Mass(kg) |
Notes |
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Polar Bear | 1986-088A | 11/14/86 | WSMC | Scout G1 | LEO | 125 |
Polar Beacon and Research satellite |
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