View source for Ariel 5

{{Infobox spaceflight
| name                  = Ariel 5

<!--image of the spacecraft/mission-->
| image                 = Ariel-5.jpg
| image_caption         = 
| image_alt             =
| image_size            =

<!--Basic details-->
| mission_type          = Astronomy
| operator              = [[Science Research Council|SERC]] / [[NASA]]
| COSPAR_ID             = 1974-077A
| SATCAT                = 7471
| website               = 
| mission_duration      = 
| distance_travelled    = <!--How far the spacecraft travelled (if known)-->
| orbits_completed      = <!--number of times the spacecraft orbited the Earth - see below for spacecraft beyond Earth orbit-->

<!--Spacecraft properties-->
| spacecraft            = 
| spacecraft_type       =
| spacecraft_bus        = 
| manufacturer          = [[Goddard Space Flight Center]]
| launch_mass           = {{convert|130.5|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| BOL_mass              = 
| dry_mass              = 
| payload_mass          = 
| dimensions            = 
| power                 =

<!--Launch details-->
| launch_date           = {{start-date|15 October 1974, 07:47:00|timezone=yes}}&nbsp;UTC
| launch_rocket         = [[Scout (rocket family)|Scout]] B-1
| launch_site           = [[Broglio Space Centre|San Marco]]
| launch_contractor     = 
| entered_service       = <!--date on which the spacecraft entered service, if it did not do so immediately after launch-->

<!--end of mission-->
| disposal_type         = <!--Whether the spacecraft was deorbited, decommissioned, placed in a graveyard orbit, etc-->
| deactivated           = <!--when craft was decommissioned-->
| destroyed             = <!--when craft was destroyed (if other than by re-entry)-->
| last_contact          = <!--when last signal received if not decommissioned-->
| decay_date            = 14 March 1980

| orbit_reference       = 
| orbit_regime          =
| orbit_semimajor       = 
| orbit_eccentricity    = 0.00325
| orbit_periapsis       = {{convert|512|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| orbit_apoapsis        = {{convert|557|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| orbit_inclination     = 2.9&nbsp;degrees
| orbit_period          = 95.3&nbsp;minutes
| orbit_RAAN            = 
| orbit_arg_periapsis   = 
| orbit_mean_anomaly    = 
| orbit_mean_motion     = 
| orbit_repeat          = 
| orbit_epoch           = 14 October 1974, 23:00:00&nbsp;UTC
| apsis                 = gee

<!--Telescope parameters-->
| instrument_type       = <!--converts telescope fields to suit a camera or other similar instrument-->
| telescope_name        = 
| telescope_type        = <!--type of telescope, mirror arrangement, etc--> 
| telescope_diameter    = <!--diameter of telescope-->
| telescope_focal_length= <!--focal length of telescope-->
| telescope_area        = <!--collecting area-->
| telescope_wavelength  = <!--wavelengths at which the telescope operates--> 
| telescope_resolution  = <!--resolution of telescope-->
| instruments           = Rotation Modulation Collimator '''(RMC)'''<br/>2- to 10-KeV Sky Survey Instrument '''(SSI)'''<br/>High-Resolution Source Spectra<br/>Bragg Crystal Spectrometer '''(BCS)'''<br/>High-Energy Cosmic X-Ray Spectra<br/>All-Sky Monitor	
}}

'''Ariel 5'''<ref name=Smith>{{cite web|url=http://rspa.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/350/1663/421.abstract|title=The Ariel 5 Programme|first=J. F|last=Smith|others=Courtier, G. M. (contributing)|publisher=Royal Society}}</ref> was a joint British and American<ref name=heasarc>{{cite web | url=http://heasarc.nasa.gov/docs/ariel5/ariel5.html | title=HEASARC: Observatories - The Ariel V Satellite | publisher=[[NASA]]| accessdate=2008-03-03}}</ref> [[space observatory]] dedicated to observing the sky in the X-ray band. It was launched on October 15, 1974 from the [[San Marco platform]] in the Indian Ocean and operated until 1980. It was the penultimate satellite to be launched as part of the [[Ariel programme]]. It was designed to fit a resource budget of 2&nbsp;kg, 1 bit per second, and 1 W.<ref name=Priedhorsky>{{cite journal |author=Priedhorsky WC |author2= Holt SS |title=Long-term cycles in cosmic X-ray sources |journal=Space Sci Rev |volume=45 |issue=3–4 |date=1987 |pages=291–348 |bibcode=1987SSRv...45..291P |doi = 10.1007/BF00171997}}</ref>

The All-sky monitor (ASM) was two one-dimensional pinhole cameras scanned most of the sky every spacecraft revolution.<ref name=Priedhorsky/> The angular resolution was 10 x 10°, with an effective area of {{convert|abbr=on|3|cm2|sqin|3}}, and a bandpass of 3-6 keV.

The SSI had an angular resolution of 0.75 x 10.6°, with an effective area of {{convert|abbr=on|290|cm2|sqin}}, and a bandpass of 2-20 keV.<ref name=Priedhorsky/>

==See also==
* [[Timeline of artificial satellites and space probes]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Ariel programme}}

{{Wikipedia|Ariel 5}}

[[Category:Space observatories]]
[[Category:Space programme of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1974 in spaceflight]]
[[Category:Artificial satellites formerly orbiting Earth]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched in 1974]]
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