Signe 3とは 意味・読み方・使い方

Signe 3 is a French satellite placed in orbit by the Soviet Union under a cooperative agreement. This satellite is part of the D2 series, specifically Gamma D2B. SIGNE stands for Solar Interplanetary Gamma-Neutron Experiment. The satellite is also called Sneg-3. It was originally intended to be launched by the French Diamant rocket, but the Diamant program was terminated. Electrical power is supplied by four solar panels extending 1.3 m from the spacecraft axis. The solar array provides 50 W to silver cadmium storage batteries. The telemetry equipment consists of a PCM-PM system, using a 136.7-MHz, 0.5-W transmitter. Real-time data rate is 256 bps. An onboard tape recorder extends the data coverage until its failure in March 1978. The command system operates at 148.5 MHz and provides 54 separate commands. The telemetry network includes three French stations (Toulouse, Pretoria, and Kourou) and five NASA stations (Ascension Island, Santiago, Quito, Orroral, and Merrit Island). The satellite control center is at Toulouse.