Jun 10 1981
From The Space Library
NASA's Atmosphere Explorer 5 reentered Earth's atmosphere after 31,268 orbits and more than 5½ years of service. Launched from KSC November 20, 1975, the 720-kilogram (1,587-pound) AE-5 carried 15 highly specialized instruments to gather data on Earth's near-space environment. It was the first spacecraft using on-board propulsion to make large orbit changes and to use a central computer to make all data acquired immediately accessible to members of investigator teams at terminals in their own facilities.
The last signal from AE-5 came over Hawaii, and no signal was received when it was due over Ascension Island. Trajectory of the descent was across the Pacific, Central America, and toward the Atlantic; the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) confirmed reentry into the atmosphere over the Caribbean east of Nicaragua at 9:57 a.m. EDT. (NASA Release 81-86)
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