Interplanetary Monitoring Platform

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IMP-A/-B/-C design series
IMP-D/-E design series
IMP-F/-G design series
IMP-I/-H/-J design series

Interplanetary Monitoring Platform was a program managed by the

interplanetary plasma and the interplanetary magnetic field. The orbiting of IMP satellites in a variety of interplanetary and earth orbits allowed study of spatial and temporal relationships of geophysical and interplanetary phenomena simultaneously by several other NASA satellites.[1]

Satellites

Launch Date Launch Place Satellite Launch mass Decay Date Notes
Explorer IMP
27 November 1963, 02:30 UTC[2]
LC-17B[2]
 Explorer 18 IMP-A 138 kg (304 lb) December 30, 1965 IMP 1. First use of integrated circuits in a spacecraft. First satellite in IMP-A/-B/-C design series.
4 October 1964, 03:45 UTC[2]
LC-17A[2]
 Explorer 21 IMP-B 138 kg (304 lb) January 1, 1966 IMP 2. Second satellite in IMP-A/-B/-C design series.
29 May 1965, 12:00 UTC[2]
LC-17B[2]
 Explorer 28 IMP-C 128 kg (282 lb) 4 July 1968 IMP 3. Third satellite in IMP-A/-B/-C design series.
1 July 1966, 16:02 UTC[2]
LC-17A[2]
 Explorer 33 IMP-D / AIMP-D 212 kg (467 lb) In orbit AIMP 1. First use of MOSFET integrated circuits in a spacecraft, similar design to IMP-E. Originally intended to orbit the Moon, but placed in an elliptical high orbit instead.
24 May 1967, 14:05 UTC[2]
SLC-2E[2]
 Explorer 34 IMP-F 163 kg (359 lb) May 3, 1969 IMP 4. Similar design to IMP-G.
19 July 1967, 14:19 UTC[2]
LC-17B[2]
 Explorer 35 IMP-E / AIMP-E 104 kg (229 lb) After June 24, 1973 AIMP 2, similar design to IMP-D. Positioned in Selenocentric orbit.
21 June 1969, 08:47 UTC[2]
SLC-2W[2]
 Explorer 41 IMP-G 175 kg (386 lb) December 23, 1972 IMP 5. Similar design to IMP-F.
13 March 1971, 16:15 UTC[2]
LC-17A[2]
 Explorer 43 IMP-I 635 kg (1,400 lb) October 2, 1974 IMP 6. First spacecraft in IMP-I/-H/-J series.
23 September 1972, 01:20 UTC[2]
LC-17B[2]
 Explorer 47 IMP-H 390 kg (860 lb) In orbit IMP 7. Second spacecraft in IMP-I/-H/-J series.
26 October 1973, 02:26 UTC[2]
LC-17B[2]
 Explorer 50 IMP-J 410 kg (900 lb) In orbit IMP 8. Last satellite IMP, remained in service until 2006. Third spacecraft in IMP-I/-H/-J series.

Technology

IMP-D was the first spacecraft to use the MOSFET

The IMP program was the first space program to use

IMP-A (Explorer 18) in 1963. This predates the use of IC chips in the Apollo Guidance Computer, used for the Apollo program.[3]

The MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor, or MOS transistor) was adopted by NASA for the IMP program in 1964.[4] The use of MOSFETs was a major step forward in spacecraft electronics design.[5]

The IMP-D (

General Microelectronics, which had NASA as its first MOS contract shortly after it had commercialized MOS technology in 1964.[3]

Applications

IMPs were used to study the

ionized gas), cosmic rays, and magnetic fields in interplanetary and cislunar space, from various solar and terrestrial orbits.[3] Data gathered by IMP spacecraft and satellites were used to support the Apollo program, enabling the first human Moon landing with the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.[5]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Interplanetary Monitoring Platform.
  1. ^ Butler, P. M. (May 1980). "Interplanetary Monitoring Platform - Engineering, History and Achievements" (PDF). Goddard Space Flight Center. NASA. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-1-62683-027-1
    .
  4. ISSN 0018-9499
    .
  5. ^ a b Butler, P. M. (29 August 1989). Interplanetary Monitoring Platform (PDF). NASA. pp. 1, 11, 134. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  6. ISBN 9781852335755
    .
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