Orba, also known as X-2, was intended to be the first satellite launched by a British rocket. It was launched at 00:34 GMT on 2 September 1970, atop a Black Arrow rocket from Launch Area 5BatWoomera, but failed to reach orbit after the second stage of the carrier rocket shut down 13 seconds early.[1] Orba was built from spare parts due to funding restrictions,[2] and was to have been used to measure upper atmosphere density by monitoring the decay of its orbit.[3]
Mission type | Atmospheric |
---|---|
Operator | RAE |
Mission duration | Failed to orbit |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 2 September 1970, 00:34:05 (1970-09-02UTC00:34:05Z) UTC |
Rocket | Black Arrow R2 |
Launch site | Woomera LA-5B |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Low Earth |
Epoch | Planned |
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