Alouette 1
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Overview
Launched 5 years after the U.S.S.R. (now the Russian Federation) sent its satellite Sputnik 1 into orbit in 1957 and 4 years after the America's Explorer 1 was launched in 1958, Alouette I was Canada's first satellite. Occasionally, Alouette I is misrepresented as the third satellite successfully put in orbit, rather than being from the third country ever to do so--but numerous Sputniks and Explorers preceded it. The name "Alouette" came from the French word for "skylark" and from the title of a popular French-Canadian folk song.
Satellite launch and mission progress
Alouette 1, was launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from the Pacific Missile Range in California at 6:05am on September 29, 1962, into orbit around the earth. Alouette, was used to study the ionosphere, an area of the upper atmosphere where many future satellites would be placed in orbit. Alouette's mission lasted for 10 years before the unit was deliberately switched off. The mission's Canadian director, John Herbert Chapman, achieved a modicum of success.
Duplicate construction
Alouette_II.jpg
Two satellites were built for redundancy in case of a malfunction; if the first unit failed, the second could be launched with only a couple of months delay. It took 3½ years after Alouette's proposal to have it developed and built. The satellite itself was constructed in a building at a Canadian Forces base in Downsview, Ontario. That building is now the Toronto Aerospace Museum. (http://www.torontoaerospacemuseum.com)
When completed Alouette weighed 145kg (320lbs) and was launched from a Thor-Agena B two-stage rocket. Alouette 1's backup was later launched as Alouette 2 in 1965 to 'replace' the older Alouette 1.
External Links:
- CSA Allouette Site (http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/eng/satellites/alouette.asp)
- Canada's Digital Collections government website - About Alouette (http://collections.ic.gc.ca/satellites/english/canadian/q4.html)