Description : Wallops island post stamp and sun rocket solar explorer international year of the quiet sun scout launched from the United States rocket proving grounds of the NASA Wallops Island Virginia base.
SOLRAD 8 was a spin-stabilized satellite oriented with its spin axis perpendicular to the sun-satellite line so that the 14 solar X-ray and ultraviolet photometers pointing radially outward from its equatorial belt viewed the sun with each revolution. Data were transmitted in real time by means of an FM/AM telemetry system and were recorded by the stations on the STADAN tracking network. The satellite performed normally except for the spin system, which failed to maintain 60 rpm (at spin rates below 10 rpm data reduction became difficult). The spin rate gradually decreased to 4 rpm on September 12, 1966. At that time, ground command succeeded in reactivating spinup to 78 rpm, which exhausted the gas supply. From this point, the spin rate gradually decreased to 10 rpm in August 1967, when data collection was substantially decreased.

USA 256 - picture enhanced ?

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Space Event :

EXPLORER 30 (SE A, SOLRAD 8) (SATELLITE) · SCOUT X4