Author Topic: Agena 1007 question  (Read 4125 times)

Offline Art LeBrun

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Agena 1007 question
« on: 02/01/2009 02:46 am »
I have attached 3 images of the hoist of Agena 1007 in April/May 1960
for the flight of Midas II. What is the large "solar panel likeness" attachment on the aft end for 1st and 2nd images?

Note 3rd image shows no solar panel - camera angle moved to right
of 1st image. Panel has "rotated" out of sight it appears but note in
1st image a curtain is drawn across 2nd gantry level so this might be
two different hoistings.

Without data you need multiple images to reveal the "facts".
« Last Edit: 03/05/2009 07:46 pm by Art LeBrun »
1958 launch vehicle highlights: Vanguard TV-4 and Atlas 12B

Offline kevin-rf

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Re: Agena 1007 question
« Reply #1 on: 02/01/2009 01:29 pm »
If not solar, what about a radiator for cooling? I would guess Midas would have used some sort of cooled sensor. Active chiller with a cooling loop?
 
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Offline Analyst

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Re: Agena 1007 question
« Reply #2 on: 02/01/2009 02:36 pm »
Close up it looks like a solar panel. Maybe non deployable? Or some GSE?

I don't know.

Analyst

Offline jcm

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Re: Agena 1007 question
« Reply #3 on: 02/01/2009 11:13 pm »
Close up it looks like a solar panel. Maybe non deployable? Or some GSE?

I don't know.

Analyst

Starting with Midas 3 there were solar panels on Midas. Maybe Midas 2 had some kind
of dummy array for testing purposes? It was Agena A rather than B, so I am a bit surprised - will try and dig some more.
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Offline charlieb

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Re: Agena 1007 question
« Reply #4 on: 02/02/2009 12:26 pm »
Could be solar arrays for battery recharging used in order to extend the life of the Agena (think of it as an 'extended mission Agena'; I would then assume the Agena was used for orbit altitude adjustments during the mission - sort of a 'service module' for Midas payload....).
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Offline gwiz

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Re: Agena 1007 question
« Reply #5 on: 02/28/2009 02:59 pm »
Close up it looks like a solar panel. Maybe non deployable? Or some GSE?

I don't know.

Analyst

Starting with Midas 3 there were solar panels on Midas. Maybe Midas 2 had some kind
of dummy array for testing purposes? It was Agena A rather than B, so I am a bit surprised - will try and dig some more.
According to some handwritten notes of great age and uncertain provenance (typical of my filing system, I'm afraid), Midas 2 did indeed have solar cell power. 

I'd agree with Analyst's non-deployable suggestion.

Offline OM

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Re: Agena 1007 question
« Reply #6 on: 02/28/2009 09:12 pm »
According to some handwritten notes of great age and uncertain provenance (typical of my filing system, I'm afraid), Midas 2 did indeed have solar cell power. 

I'd agree with Analyst's non-deployable suggestion.

...IIRC, this is correct. Midas 2's panels were not deployable. What I can't remember is whether it was spin-stabilized to a specific rate to ensure that the proper amount of sunlight hit those panels. Been a while since I've even *thought* about the Midas series, tho.


Offline Blackstar

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Re: Agena 1007 question
« Reply #7 on: 03/04/2009 02:03 pm »
Attached are two pages from Cargill Hall's Quest article about Midas.  One page includes a photo of two men standing next to a Midas model that shows solar panels near the aft end of the Agena.  Sorry about the poor quality of the scan.

The other attachment is the first page of the article.  Anybody wanting the full article should mail me.

Offline Art LeBrun

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Re: Agena 1007 question
« Reply #8 on: 03/05/2009 07:49 pm »
I added one image and several comments to the original post.
« Last Edit: 03/06/2009 02:12 am by Art LeBrun »
1958 launch vehicle highlights: Vanguard TV-4 and Atlas 12B

Offline koroljow

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Re: Agena 1007 question
« Reply #9 on: 03/11/2017 05:46 pm »
Apologize for warming this old thread up. But maybe someone finds this https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/23754942145/sizes/o/ image interesting. If it's correctly labeled it is showing the Agena 1007 with some body mounted solar cell arrays.
And this https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/21678823240/sizes/o/ is the thread starting picture but in color.
« Last Edit: 03/11/2017 05:55 pm by koroljow »
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