NASA launched first satellite into lunar orbit from manned spacecraft on this day in 1971

NASA successfully launched its first satellite into lunar orbit from a manned craft on this day, 49 years ago. Apollo 15 subsatellite was lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States on August 4, 1971, and it ended up providing at least six months of data cover before electronics failures occurred in February 1972. All objectives of historic mission were accomplished according to NASA that was placed in orbit from Apollo 15 Service Module. 

main aim of sending Apollo 15 subsatellite was to study plasma, particle, and magnetic field environment of Earth’s satellite and map lunar gravity field. NASA has explained, “Specifically it measured plasma and energetic particle intensities and vector magnetic fields, and facilitated tracking of satellite velocity to high precision.” basic requirement of satellite was to acquire fields and particle data everywhere on orbit around Moon. Later on, a similar satellite was deployed by Apollo 16. 

Apollo 15 crew, subsatellite. Credit: NASA

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Probe was 35.6-centimeter-diameter

satellite was small and was designed around 35.6-centimeter-diameter hexagonal structure that was equipped with three instrument booms and was deployed by Apollo 15, ninth crewed mission, shortly before leaving lunar orbit. power supply for probe came from solar panels and also chemical batteries. 

instruments on satellite measured strength and direction of interplanetary and terrestrial magnetic fields, detected variations in lunar gravity field, and also measured proton and electron flux. satellite even confirmed Explorer 35's finding that while “Earth's magnetic field deflects incoming solar wind into a tail, Moon acts as a physical barrier due to its weak field and creates a "hole" in wind.”

Credit: NASA

Before deploying subsatellite, Apollo 15 astronauts David Scott and James Irwin deployed first Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) on Earth’s natural satellite. It was first off-planet automobile ride that astronauts too to explore landing site which was Hley-Apennine. NASA astronauts on Lunar module ‘Falcon’ spent nearly three days on Moon and in totality, first rover, traversed at least 28 kilometres (17 miles) on lunar surface. Apollo 15 mission returned about 76 kilograms of moon rocks to planet Earth. 

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