# ESRO-2A

> research satellite lost in a launch failure

**Wikidata**: [Q16658357](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16658357)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/esro-2a

## Summary
ESRO-2A, also known as IRIS-1, was a research satellite lost in a launch failure on May 30, 1967. It was the first satellite in the European Space Research Organisation's (ESRO) radiation investigation satellite series.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date**: 1967-05-30 at 02:06:00 UTC.
- **Launch Vehicle**: Scout B rocket (serial number S152C).
- **Launch Site**: Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 5.
- **Result**: Lost during launch; mission failed.
- **Manufacturer**: Hawker Siddeley and Matra.
- **Followed By**: ESRO-2B.
- **Aliases**: IRIS-1, International Radiation Investigation Satellite 1.
- **NSSDCA ID**: ESRO2A.
- **Class**: Artificial satellite.

## FAQs
### Q: What was ESRO-2A's purpose?
A: ESRO-2A was a research satellite intended to investigate radiation in space, part of the European Space Research Organisation's (ESRO) scientific program.

### Q: Why was ESRO-2A lost?
A: ESRO-2A failed to achieve orbit due to a rocket launch failure occurring shortly after lift-off from Vandenberg on May 30, 1967.

### Q: What rocket launched ESRO-2A?
A: It was launched by a Scout B rocket (serial number S152C) from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 5.

### Q: How was ESRO-2A related to ESRO-2B?
A: ESRO-2B was the successor satellite to ESRO-2A, following its launch failure.

### Q: Who manufactured ESRO-2A?
A: ESRO-2A was manufactured by Hawker Siddeley and Matra.

## Why It Matters
Despite its failure, ESRO-2A represented a significant early milestone for European space research and the European Space Research Organisation (ESRO). It was the first satellite specifically designed to study space radiation under the ESRO program. The loss underscored the inherent risks of early rocket launches but provided critical lessons that informed the subsequent successful mission of ESRO-2B. This satellite, alongside its successor, contributed to foundational understanding of the space environment, paving the way for more complex European scientific satellites and solidifying Europe's role in space exploration during the Cold War era.

## Notable For
- **First Failure**: Was the first satellite in the ESRO radiation investigation series to launch, and its failure marked a significant setback.
- **European Collaboration**: Manufactured through a partnership between British (Hawker Siddeley) and French (Matra) companies, reflecting early transnational European space efforts.
- **Launch Vehicle Utilized**: Employed the American-made Scout B rocket, highlighting the reliance on foreign launch vehicles in early European programs.
- **Radiation Research Mission**: Designed specifically to measure radiation in near-Earth space, focusing on the Van Allen belts and solar particle events.

## Body
### Specifications and Purpose
- ESRO-2A was classified as an artificial satellite.
- Its primary mission was scientific research, specifically the investigation of radiation in space, including solar particle events and radiation belts.

### Launch and Failure
- **Launch Date & Time**: 1967-05-30, 02:06:00 UTC.
- **Launch Vehicle**: Scout B rocket (Serial Number: S152C).
- **Launch Site**: Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 5, USA.
- **Outcome**: The launch resulted in failure; the satellite did not reach orbit. The significant event of the launch failure occurred at the launch site on the launch date.
- **Manufacturer**: Constructed by Hawker Siddeley and Matra.

### Relationship to Other Entities
- It was the predecessor to ESRO-2B, the successful satellite that completed the intended radiation investigation mission.
- It belongs to the class of artificial satellites.
- The launch vehicle used was of the Scout B class.
- Its NSSDCA ID is ESRO2A.
- It is known by the aliases IRIS-1 and International Radiation Investigation Satellite 1.

### Aftermath
- The failure of ESRO-2A led directly to the launch of the follow-on mission, ESRO-2B.
- Knowledge from the attempt and subsequent failure contributed to the success of ESRO-2B.
- Its Wikipedia entry exists in the Hungarian language (hu).

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "ESRO-2A",
  "description": "Research satellite lost in a launch failure on May 30, 1967.",
  "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/ESRO-2_control_room_ESA374993.jpg",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1743381"
  ],
  "additionalType": "artificial satellite",
  "identifier": "ESRO2A",
  "alternativeName": [
    "IRIS-1",
    "International Radiation Investigation Satellite 1"
  ],
  "subjectOf": {
    "@type": "Event",
    "name": "Launch Failure of ESRO-2A",
    "startDate": "1967-05-30T02:06:00Z",
    "location": "Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 5"
  },
  "manufacturer": [
    "Hawker Siddeley",
    "Matra"
  ],
  "launchVehicle": {
    "@type": "Vehicle",
    "name": "Scout B"
  },
  "followedBy": {
    "@type": "Thing",
    "name": "ESRO-2B"
  }
}

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report