Orba, also known as X-2, was intended to be the first
satellite
A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioisotope ...
launched by a British rocket. It was launched at 00:34
GMT on 2 September 1970, atop a
Black Arrow rocket from
Launch Area 5B at
Woomera, but failed to reach orbit after the second stage of the carrier rocket shut down 13 seconds early.
Orba was built from spare parts due to funding restrictions,
and was to have been used to measure upper atmosphere density by monitoring the
decay
Decay may refer to:
Science and technology
* Bit decay, in computing
* Software decay, in computing
* Distance decay, in geography
* Decay time (fall time), in electronics
Biology
* Decomposition of organic matter
* Tooth decay (dental caries) ...
of its orbit.
See also
*
Prospero X-3
The ''Prospero'' satellite, also known as the X-3, was launched by the United Kingdom in 1971. It was designed to undertake a series of experiments to study the effects of the space environment on communications satellites and remained operati ...
*
Timeline of artificial satellites and space probes
References
Satellite launch failures
Space programme of the United Kingdom
Spacecraft launched by Black Arrow rockets
Spacecraft launched in 1970
Rocket launches in 1970
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