# Dynamics Explorer 1

> NASA geomagnetic satellite in the Dynamics Explorer mission

**Wikidata**: [Q109968193](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109968193)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamics_Explorer_1)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/dynamics-explorer-1

## Summary
Dynamics Explorer 1 is a NASA geomagnetic satellite launched on 1981-08-03 to study Earth's magnetosphere as part of the two-spacecraft Dynamics Explorer program. It was built by RCA Corporation, operated by NASA, and was launched from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2 West aboard a Delta 3000 series vehicle.

## Key Facts
- Dynamics Explorer 1 is a NASA geomagnetic satellite and an instance of the geomagnetic satellite class.  
- Launch date and time: 1981-08-03 at 09:56 (COSPAR ID 1981-070A).  
- Launch site: Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2 West.  
- Launch vehicle: Delta 3000 series (vehicle designation D-155).  
- Operator: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).  
- Manufacturer: RCA Corporation.  
- Mass: 424 kilograms.  
- Dimensions: height 115 centimetres; diameter 137 centimetres.  
- Power: spacecraft solar array (source lists the value "86" associated with the solar array in the provided data).  
- Service retirement (end of service): 1991-02-28.  
- Aliases: Dynamics Explorer-A, Explorer 62, DE-A, DE 1.  
- Program context: part of the Dynamics Explorer mission; follows MagSat in the Explorers Program (position 61) and is followed by Dynamics Explorer 2 (position 63).

## FAQs
### Q: What was the primary purpose of Dynamics Explorer 1?
A: Dynamics Explorer 1 was a geomagnetic satellite designed to study Earth's magnetosphere and related regions as part of NASA's Dynamics Explorer mission.

### Q: When and where was Dynamics Explorer 1 launched?
A: It was launched on 1981-08-03 at 09:56 from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2 West aboard a Delta 3000 series launch vehicle (vehicle D-155).

### Q: How long did Dynamics Explorer 1 operate?
A: Dynamics Explorer 1 was launched in 1981 and its service was retired on 1991-02-28.

### Q: Who built and operated Dynamics Explorer 1?
A: The spacecraft was manufactured by RCA Corporation and operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

## Why It Matters
Dynamics Explorer 1 played a focused role in studying Earth's magnetosphere by carrying sensors and instruments intended for geomagnetic research as part of a coordinated two-spacecraft Dynamics Explorer mission. By operating in concert with its companion spacecraft (Dynamics Explorer 2) and in the broader context of related missions such as MagSat, it contributed to NASA's systematic program of Explorer-class missions aimed at understanding near-Earth space environments. The spacecraft's design—compact dimensions, solar-array power system, and a mission span that lasted roughly a decade—reflects a class of targeted scientific satellites optimized for long-duration geospace observations. Its data supported the scientific community's efforts to characterize magnetospheric structure and dynamics, helping to place other missions and observations into a coordinated program of study. As a part of the Explorers Program lineup, Dynamics Explorer 1 represents how medium-class satellites can deliver sustained, specialized measurements that inform space physics and contribute to long-term monitoring of Earth’s space environment.

## Notable For
- Being one half of the Dynamics Explorer two-spacecraft geomagnetic mission (paired with Dynamics Explorer 2).  
- Launch on 1981-08-03 from Vandenberg SLC-2W on a Delta 3000 (D-155) launch vehicle.  
- Compact, purpose-built design: mass 424 kg, height 115 cm, diameter 137 cm.  
- Manufactured by RCA Corporation and operated by NASA as part of the Explorers Program.  
- Service life spanning from launch in 1981 to retirement on 1991-02-28.

## Body

### H3 Overview
- Name: Dynamics Explorer 1 (aliases: Dynamics Explorer-A, Explorer 62, DE-A, DE 1).  
- Type: geomagnetic satellite.  
- Program: Dynamics Explorer; part of NASA’s Explorers Program lineup.

### H3 Mission and Objectives
- Primary mission class: geomagnetic satellite — designed to monitor Earth's magnetosphere and related regions.  
- Program role: operated in the Dynamics Explorer mission alongside Dynamics Explorer 2 to study geospace phenomena.

### H3 Spacecraft Specifications
- Mass: 424 kilogram.  
- Height: 115 centimetres.  
- Diameter: 137 centimetres.  
- Power: spacecraft solar array (source lists associated value "86" for the solar array).  
- Instance of: geomagnetic satellite.  
- Country of origin: United States.

### H3 Manufacturer and Operator
- Manufacturer: RCA Corporation.  
- Operator: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

### H3 Launch and Deployment
- Launch date and time: 1981-08-03 at 09:56.  
- COSPAR ID: 1981-070A.  
- NSSDCA ID: 1981-070A.  
- Launch vehicle: Delta 3000 series (designation D-155).  
- Launch site: Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2 West.

### H3 Mission Timeline and Events
- Significant event — rocket launch: 1981-08-03 from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2 West.  
- Service retirement (end of mission operations): 1991-02-28.

### H3 Relationships to Other Missions
- Follows MagSat in the Explorers Program sequence (listed with position 61).  
- Followed by Dynamics Explorer 2 in the Explorers Program sequence (listed with position 63).  
- Part of the Dynamics Explorer mission (a coordinated program involving multiple spacecraft).

### H3 Identifiers and Media
- Wikipedia title: Dynamics Explorer 1.  
- Commons category / image: Dynamics Explorer 1; image available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Dynamics_Explorer_satellites.jpg.  
- COSPAR ID / NSSDCA ID: 1981-070A.

## Schema Markup
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  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Dynamics Explorer 1",
  "description": "Dynamics Explorer 1 is a NASA geomagnetic satellite launched on 1981-08-03 to study Earth's magnetosphere as part of the Dynamics Explorer mission.",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamics_Explorer_1",
    "https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1981-070A",
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  ],
  "additionalType": "geomagnetic satellite"
}

## References

1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/explorer_de.htm)
2. Jonathan's Space Report
3. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1981-070A)