Magellan spacecraft
E81108
The Magellan spacecraft was a NASA robotic probe launched in 1989 that used radar mapping to produce the first detailed global images of the surface of Venus.
Statements (50)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
Venus orbiter
→
space probe → |
| aerobrakingExperiment |
performed first large-scale aerobraking test at another planet
→
|
| arrivalAtVenus |
1990-08-10
→
|
| bus |
modified Voyager and Galileo spare hardware
→
|
| communicationBand |
X-band
→
|
| countryOfOrigin |
United States
→
|
| dataReturn |
over 1.2 terabits of data returned
→
|
| deploymentMethod |
deployed from Space Shuttle cargo bay
→
|
| discoveries |
found relatively young surface age for Venus
→
identified tectonic and impact structures on Venus → revealed widespread volcanic features on Venus → |
| disposition |
intentionally deorbited into Venus atmosphere
→
|
| highGainAntennaDiameter |
about 3.7 meters
→
|
| instrument |
radar altimeter
→
radiometer → |
| launchDate |
1989-05-04
→
|
| launchPad |
Launch Complex 39B
→
|
| launchSite |
Kennedy Space Center
→
|
| launchVehicle |
Space Shuttle Atlantis
→
|
| managedBy |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
→
|
| massAtLaunch |
about 3450 kilograms
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|
| missionEnd |
1994-10-13
→
|
| missionPhase |
gravity mapping cycles 4 and 5
→
mapping cycles 1, 2, and 3 → |
| missionResult |
mapped over 98 percent of Venus surface
→
measured topography of Venus → produced first detailed global images of Venus → studied Venus gravity field → |
| missionType |
planetary science mission
→
|
| namedAfter |
Ferdinand Magellan
→
|
| operator |
NASA
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|
| orbitInsertion |
Venus orbit
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|
| orbitPeriod |
about 3.3 hours
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|
| orbitType |
near-polar orbit
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|
| powerSource |
solar panels
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|
| primaryInstrument |
synthetic aperture radar
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|
| primaryObjective |
map surface of Venus
→
|
| program |
NASA Discovery-era precursor
→
|
| propulsion |
monopropellant hydrazine system
→
|
| relatedMission |
Akatsuki
→
Pioneer Venus Orbiter → Venus Express → |
| spaceAgency |
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
→
|
| spacecraftShape |
bus with large high-gain antenna dish
→
|
| spaceShuttleMission |
STS-30
→
|
| surfaceResolution |
radar images with resolution as fine as 100–300 meters
→
|
| target |
Venus
→
|
| technologyDemonstration |
validated aerobraking for future missions
→
|
| upperStage |
Inertial Upper Stage
→
|
Referenced by (3)
| Subject (surface form when different) | Predicate |
|---|---|
|
Venus
→
|
exploredBy |
|
NASA spacecraft
→
|
includes |
|
RCA 1802 microprocessor
→
|
usedIn |