Official name OV1-9
Alternative name OV1 9
Cospar ID 1966-111A
Norad ID 2610
Launch date 1966-12-11
Launch site AFWTR
Launch vehicle Atlas-D OV1
Country/Organization USA
Type application Experimental
Operator US Air Force (USAF)
RCS size MEDIUM
Decay date ON ORBIT
Period (min) 138.69
Inclination (deg) 99.11
Perigee (km) 474
Apogee (km) 4521
Eccentricity 0.81021021021021
Mean motion (revs. per day) 10.3828682673589
Semi-Major axis (km) 8875.635
Raan (deg) 271.6448
Arg of perigee (deg) 111.2969
Shape Domed Cyl
Mass (kg) 106
Diameter (m) 0.69
Height (m) 1.4
Span (m^2) 1.4
Contractors Convair
Equipment see above
Propulsion None
Power Solar cells, batteries

The OV1 (Orbiting Vehicle 1) were small research satellite to be launched piggy back on Atlas ICBM test flights. They consisted in general of the OV1 satellite and the OV1-PM propulsion module (or upper stage) to reach orbit. Only OV1 1 and OV1 3 were launched on an ICBM, while all other Atlas flights were dedicated launches.

OV1 6 did not have a propulsion module as it was launched on the MOL testflight on a Titan-3C. OV1 8, OV1 16, OV1 20 and OV1 21 featured other payloads substituting the OV1 satellite. OV1 86 consisted of the spare OV1 8 satellite body and the OV1 6 propulsion module. In some cases, the PM did also carry an research payload (OV1 17A, OV1 20, OV1 21).

  • OV1 1: Micrometeroites, cosmic radio noise, electron density, magntic fields, proton concentration, IR and UV emissions from earth; separation mechanism failed to release the satellite from the launch vehicle
  • OV1 2: Proton-electron spectrometer, X-ray detector, magnetometer, 2 tissue-equivalent ion chambers, shielded proton-electron dosimeters
  • OV1 3: Ion chamber, spectrometer, linear energy transfer with simulated human torso; Atlas exploded after 2 minutes of flight
  • OV1 4: Biologic growth experiments (Chlorella algae and duckweed plants)
  • OV1 5: Background optical radiation experiment (BORE) IR sensors
  • OV1 6: Deployable optical targets
  • OV1 7: Vertistat gravity gradient experiment; OV1 7 payload door jammed, solid rocket motor failed
  • OV1 8: see PasComSat
  • OV1 9: Exospheric radiation experiment (ERE), experimental attitude determination system
  • OV1 10: 2 photometers (hydrogen and UV dayglow), monochromator ptometer, Geiger-counter, dual Rubidium-vapour magnetometer, heavy cosmic ray telescope, sample coatings, Bragg X-ray spectrometer, Vertistat-HAV gravity gradient experiment
  • OV1 11: Earth nightglow, UV radiance, space plasma, oxygen in upper atmosphere, VLF radio detectors, solar X-ray, electron and proton flux detectors; OV1 11 failed to separate from the launch vehicle
  • OV1 12: Flare activated radio-biological observatory (FARO)
  • OV1 13: Geiger-counter, 4 spectrometers, magnetic analyzer, electrostatic analyzer, flexible CDS solar cells, friction and wear experiment
  • OV1 14: Electromagnetic interference experiment, Lyman-alpha telescope
  • OV1 15: Solar perturbation of atmospheric density experiment satellite (SPADES) Mesa triaxial accelerometer, hot and cold cathode ionisation gauges, solar X-ray and EUV detectors
  • OV1 16: see LOADS 1
  • OV1 17: ELF-radio propagation, horizon dayglow, nightglow particle and fields detectors, meteor trail calibration beacon, Vertistat-LAV
  • OV1 18: Ionospheric effects, large dish antenna, auroral electrons detector, Vertistat-LAV
  • OV1 19: Radiation belt detectors
  • OV1 20: see OV1P 20, LOADS 2
  • OV1 21: see OV1P 21, RTDS, Gridsphere 1 / 2, Mylar Balloon, Rigidsphere, LCS 4
  • OV1 86: Radiometers, interferometers, cosmic ray telescope, Vertistat-LAV
Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
OV1-2 1965-078A 1965-10-05 AFWTR Atlas-D OV1 with SSP 29 *
OV1-4 1966-025A 1966-03-30 AFWTR Atlas-D OV1 with OV1 5, SPP 28 *
OV1-5 1966-025B 1966-03-30 AFWTR Atlas-D OV1 with OV1 4, SPP 28 *
OV1-6 1966-099C 1966-11-03 AFETR Titan-3C with OV4 3, OV4 1R, OV4 1T, Gemini B
OV1-9 1966-111A 1966-12-11 AFWTR Atlas-D OV1 with OV1 10
OV1-10 1966-111B 1966-12-11 AFWTR Atlas-D OV1 with OV1 9
OV1-86 1967-072A 1967-07-27 AFWTR Atlas-D OV1 with OV1 11, OV1 12
OV1-12 1967-072D 1967-07-27 AFWTR Atlas-D OV1 with OV1 11, OV1 86
OV1-13 1968-026A 1968-04-06 AFWTR Atlas-F OV1 with OV1 14
OV1-14 1968-026B 1968-04-06 AFWTR Atlas-F OV1 with OV1 13
OV1-15 (SPADES) 1968-059A 1968-07-11 AFWTR Atlas-F OV1 with LOADS 1
OV1-17 1969-025A 1969-03-18 AFWTR Atlas-F OV1 with OV1 18, OV1 19, OV1 17A
OV1-18 1969-025B 1969-03-18 AFWTR Atlas-F OV1 with OV1 17, OV1 19, OV1 17A
OV1-19 1969-025C 1969-03-18 AFWTR Atlas-F OV1 with OV1 17, OV1 18, OV1 17A