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Post Info TOPIC: Transit 5BN-3 Satellite
Blobrana


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RE: Transit 5BN-3 Satellite
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The Transit 5BN-3 military satellite failed to reach orbit on the 21st April, 1964 and 2.1 pounds of radioactive plutonium was spread over a wide area.

Ed ~ The satellite re-entred north of Madagascar. Its' 630 terabequerel of plutonium-238 metal was scattered in the atmosphere of the southern hemisphere - traces of plutonium were detected after a few months.



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Blobrana


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Transit 5BN-3 was a US military satellite, which was to be used to test a new submarine navigation system.
Launch of the Thor Able Star rocket, with the Transit 5BN-3 and Transit 5E-4 satellites, was from the Vandenberg Air Force base on the 21st April, 1964 at 18:50 GMT,  but the rocket failed to achieve orbit - the ballistic flight burned up in the atmosphere.
The 53 kg satellite carried a SNAP 9A RTG power generator; the  2.1 pounds of radioactive plutonium was spread over a wide area.
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After the failure of Transit 5BN-3 to achieve orbit, it was decided that operational satellites would be solar powered. Not only was the cost lower, but the need to obtain special approvals to launch each nuclear-powered satellite and the operational and publicity issues in case of a failure to orbit were unacceptable.
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