SMM [NASA]
Official name SMM
Alternative name SMM
Cospar ID 1980-014A
Norad ID 11703
Launch date 1980-02-14
Launch site AFETR
Launch vehicle Delta-3910
Country/Organization USA
Type application Solar observatory
Operator NASA
RCS size LARGE
Decay date 1989-12-02
Shape Cyl + 2 Pan
Mass (kg) 2294.35
Diameter (m) 2.3
Height (m) 4
Span (m^2) 10
Contractors Fairchild
Equipment GRS, ACRIM-1, CP, HXRBS, HXIS, UVSP, XRP
Configuration MMS
Power 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries

SMM (Solar Maximum Mission) was a solar observatory, which featured 7 instruments for solar observation:

  • Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS)
  • Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (ACRIM)
  • Coronagraph Polarimeter (CP)
  • Hard X-Ray Burst Spectrometer (HXRBS)
  • Hard X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (HXIS)
  • UV Spectrometer and Polarimeter (UVSP)
  • X-Ray Polychromator (XRP)

It was based on Fairchilds MMS bus, making it the first space craft designed for in space servicing.

In december 1980, the attitude control system failed due to a fuse failure. The satellite was repaired by astronauts of the 11th Shuttle mission, making it the first satellite to be repaired on orbit. It was originally planned to be returned to earth in 1990 by another space Shuttle to be refurbished as the EUVE satellite, but these plans were finally cancelled.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
SMM 1980-014A 1980-02-14 AFETR Delta-3910