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  Space Cover 311: International Ultraviolet Explorer

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Author Topic:   Space Cover 311: International Ultraviolet Explorer
Apollo-Soyuz
Member

Posts: 1205
From: Shady Side, Md
Registered: Sep 2004

posted 04-10-2015 05:13 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Apollo-Soyuz   Click Here to Email Apollo-Soyuz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Space Cover of the Week, Week 311 (April 10, 2015)

Space Cover 311: International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE)

This week's cover commemorates the launching of the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) on January 26, 1978 aboard Delta launch vehicle #138.

IUE was a collaborative project between NASA, the United Kingdom's Science Research council (SERC) and the European Space Agency. SERC provided the vidicon cameras for the spectrograph as well as the ground observing facility in Villafranca del Castillo in Spain. NASA contributed the telescope, spectrograph and spacecraft as well as the launching facilities and a second ground observatory at Goddard Space Flight Center.

IUE was the first space observatory to be operated in real time by astronomers. IUE had a design lifetime of a minimum of three years but lasted 18 years before being turned off on September 30, 1996.

The Goddard Space Flight Center Stamp Club serviced 500 covers for the launch. Covers sold out.

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John Macco
Space Unit #1457

Antoni RIGO
Member

Posts: 176
From: Palma de Mallorca, Is. Baleares - SPAIN
Registered: Aug 2013

posted 04-17-2015 04:13 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Antoni RIGO   Click Here to Email Antoni RIGO     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
ESA's Villafranca del Castillo space tracking station was officially inaugurated by Kings of Spain Juan Carlos I and Sofia in May 13th, 1978 but station was already operative.

In fact, IUE satellite was the first major satellite tracked at this station.

Located around 30 kilometers west (approximately 18 miles) from Madrid capital Villafranca del Castillo, also known as VILSPA (VILlafranca SPAin), served in IUE spacecraft control and science operations with a distribution of 16 hours in NASA GSFC and 8 hours in ESA Villafranca.

The cover, postmarked in Madrid capital for launch day, bears an official rubber stamp cachet of Villafranca space station.

All times are CT (US)

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