Equator-S
{{short description| Satellite operational between 1997 and 1998}}
{{italic title}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox spaceflight |auto=all
| name = Equator-S
| names_list =
| image = Equator-s gif.gif
| image_caption = The Equator-S satellite was operational between 2 December 1997 and 1 May 1998{{cite web|url=https://www.mpe.mpg.de/35012/Equator-S|title=Max Planck Institute- Equator S Summary |access-date=9 December 2021}}
| image_size = 300px
| mission_type = Heliophysics
| operator = ISTP
| COSPAR_ID =
| SATCAT =
| website = https://www2011.mpe.mpg.de/EQS/eq-s-home.html
| mission_duration = 2 years (planned)
| spacecraft =
| manufacturer = Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
| launch_mass = {{cvt|230|kg}}{{cite web|url=https://www2011.mpe.mpg.de/EQS/eq-s-spacecraft.html|title=Spacecraft Specs|work=MP:EquatorS Archive |publisher=Max Planck Institute|access-date=December 9, 2021}}
| dry_mass =
| payload_mass =
| dimensions =
| power =
| launch_date = {{start-date|2 December 1997, 22:52}} UTC{{Cite web |title=Ariane 44P {{!}} JCSAT-5 & Equator S |url=https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/NextSpaceflight.com/launches/details/1068 |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=nextspaceflight.com}}
| launch_rocket = Ariane 44P (Flight V103)
| launch_site = Guiana Space Centre ELA-2
| launch_contractor =Arianespace
| entered_service =
| deactivated =
| last_contact = 1 May 1998
| decay_date =
| orbit_reference =
| orbit_regime =
| orbit_periapsis =
| orbit_apoapsis =
| orbit_inclination =
| orbit_period =
| apsis =
}}
The Equator-S satellite was a spacecraft constructed by the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics for the International Solar-Terrestrial Physics Science Initiative. It was operational between 2 December 1997 and 1 May 1998.
Description
Equator-S was a low-cost mission, launched with the intention to study the Earth's magnetosphere around the equator at heights lower than 67,000 km. It was located in a near-equatorial orbit, which gave Equator-S the ability to make unique observations about the interaction between the magnetosphere and interplanetary space.{{cite web|url=https://science.nasa.gov/missions/equator-s/|title= NASA: Equator-S|publisher=NASA|access-date=13 December 2021}} Equator-S had a very high spin rate and was launched on an Ariane 4 rocket on 2 December 1997.
The mission ended earlier than expected, having initially been intended to have a lifetime of two years. The mission was terminated on 1 May 1998 after the failure of the onboard processor system.
See also
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
References
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{{Orbital launches in 1997}}
Category:Spacecraft launched in 1997
Category:Satellites of Germany