AS-105

AS-105

Launch of SA-10 carrying AS-105
Mission type	Spacecraft aerodynamics; micrometeoroidinvestigation
Operator	NASA
COSPAR ID	1965-060B
SATCATno.	1468
Distance travelled	912,064,090 kilometers (566,730,350 mi)
Orbits completed	~22,152
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	ApolloBP-9 Pegasus 3
Launch mass	1,451 kilograms (3,199 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	July 30, 1965, 13:00:00(1965-07-30UTC13Z)UTC
Rocket	Saturn ISA-10
Launch site	Cape KennedyLC-37B
End of mission
Decay date	November 22, 1975(1975-11-23)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Perigee altitude	521 kilometers (324 mi)
Apogee altitude	536 kilometers (333 mi)
Inclination	28.8 degrees
Period	95.2 minutes
Epoch	3 September 1965
Apollo program

AS-105was the fifth and finalorbitalflight of aboilerplateApollo spacecraft,and the third and final launch of aPegasus micrometeoroid detection satellite.It was launched bySA-10,the tenth and finalSaturn Irocket, in 1965.

Overview

AS-105 was anApolloboilerplatespacecraft; boilerplate BP-9A was used for the flight. The spacecraft reentered on November 22, 1975.The Saturn launch vehicle (SA-10) was similar to those of missions AS-103 and AS-104. As on the previous mission, the boilerplateservice modulewas equipped with a test installation of a reaction control engine package.

The primary flight objective was to continue demonstration of the launch vehicle's iterative guidance mode and evaluation of system accuracy.

Launch

AS-105 was launched fromCape KennedyLaunch Complex 37B at 08:00EST(13:00GMT) on July 30, 1965, on the last Saturn I rocket, SA-10. A planned thirty-minute hold ensured that launch time coincided with the opening of thePegasuslaunch window. The launch was normal and the payload was inserted into orbit approximately 10.7 minutes after lift-off. The total mass placed in orbit, including the spacecraft, Pegasus spacecraft, adapter, instrument unit, andS-IVstage, was 34,438 pounds (15,621 kg).

The spacecraft was separated 812 seconds after lift-off and the separation and ejection system operated as planned. ThePegasus 3spacecraft, which was attached to the S-IV stage of the Saturn I and stowed inside the boilerplate service module, was deployed 40 seconds after command initiation at 872 seconds. Pegasus 3 was a 1423.6 kilogram (3138.6 pound) micrometeoroid detection satellite, which was bolted to the S-IV.

References

This article incorporatespublic domain materialfrom websites or documents of theNational Aeronautics and Space Administration.

External links

• NSSDC: SA-10
• Range safety data for Saturn SA-10
• SA-10 flight mechanical summary technical memorandum, Jul. 13, 1965
• Vibration and acoustic analyzes, Saturn SA-10 flight
• Saturn SA-10/Pegasus C postflight trajectory