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// space science · 1966

Explorer 33

American scientific satellite from Explorer programme, forth in the Interplanetary Monitoring Platform series. Explorer 33 was launched on July 1, 1966 aboard a Thor Delta E1 from Cape Canaveral & Kennedy. Latest status in GCAT: left Earth orbit for deep space (Jul 2, 1966).

COSPAR 1966-058ANORAD 2258United States

Identity

Name in GCAT
Explorer 33
Payload designation
AIMP D
International designator
1966-058A
NORAD catalog number
2258
GCAT identifier
S02258
UN registration
A/AC.105/INF.144

Mission

Mission type
Space science
Use
Civil government
Program
IMP
Owner
GSFC
Country
United States
Builder
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Platform (bus)
AIMP

Launch

Date
July 1, 1966 · 16:02 UTC
Launch record
1966-058Success
Spaceport
Cape Canaveral & Kennedy · pad LC17A

Orbit and fate

Orbit class (GCAT)
CLO
Perigee
79,527 km
Apogee
477,380 km
Inclination
21.66°
Status
Left Earth orbit for deep space
Status date
July 2, 1966
Last known active
May 31, 1971
End of operations
May 31, 1971

Size

Mass
57 kg
Dry mass
57 kg
Total mass with attached objects
94 kg
Length
0.5 m
Diameter
0.70 m
Span
4.4 m

Deep space

Deep-space catalog entry
D00117
Final central body
Luna
Phase start
July 5, 1966
Phase outcome
Flyby · July 9, 1966
Destination
Earth

Flight phases

FromCentral bodyEndedOutcomeNext
Jul 2, 1966EarthJul 5, 1966Escaped to another bodyLuna
Jul 9, 1966EarthSep 28, 1966Escaped to another bodyLuna
Sep 28, 1966LunaSep 29, 1966FlybyEarth
Sep 29, 1966EarthNov 20, 1966Escaped to another bodyLuna
Nov 20, 1966LunaNov 20, 1966FlybyEarth
Nov 20, 1966EarthDec 16, 1966Escaped to another bodyLuna
Dec 16, 1966LunaDec 16, 1966FlybyEarth
Dec 16, 1966EarthJan 13, 1967Escaped to another bodyLuna
Jan 13, 1967LunaJan 13, 1967FlybyEarth
Jan 13, 1967EarthFeb 7, 1967Escaped to another bodyLuna
Feb 7, 1967LunaFeb 7, 1967FlybyEarth
Feb 7, 1967EarthMar 6, 1967Escaped to another bodyLuna
Mar 6, 1967LunaMar 6, 1967FlybyEarth
Mar 6, 1967EarthMay 27, 1967Escaped to another bodyLuna
May 27, 1967LunaMay 27, 1967FlybyEarth
May 27, 1967EarthAug 16, 1967Escaped to another bodyLuna
Aug 16, 1967LunaAug 16, 1967FlybyEarth
Aug 16, 1967Earth—In orbit, no recent tracking—

Source: GCAT payload, deep-space and lander catalogs, Jonathan C. McDowell (CC BY 4.0); Wikidata Q1384557 (CC0).