Earth Resources Satellite

The Earth Resources Satellite (ERS, alternatively Environmental Research Satellite) program was a series of scientific microsatellites operated by the United States Air Force Office of Aerospace Research. They were designed to attach to other satellites during launch and detach once in orbit.[1] They were used as a test bed to investigate the reliability of new spacecraft components.[2]

This article is about the 1960s United States Air Force satellite program. For the European satellite program also abbreviated ERS, see European Remote-Sensing Satellite. For the Operationally Responsive Space program, see Operationally Responsive Space Office § Satellites.

Design
The TRS and ORS families. From left to right: TRS Mk. 3, TRS Mk. 2, TRS Mk.1, an OV3 bus, ORS Mk. 1, ORS Mk. 2, ORS Mk. 3

ERS satellites generally did not have batteries; instead, all sides were covered in solar cells.[2] They came in two shapes: tetrahedral (the TRS family) and octahedral (the ORS family). They were all built by TRW Inc..

TRS Mk. 1

The TRS Mk. 1 design was a tetrahedron measuring 16 cm on a side. Ten were produced: TRS-1 through TRS-10 (ERS-1 through ERS-10). [3] Several satellites in this series investigated the Van Allen belt, particularly the effects of its radiation on spacecraft power systems.[4]

TRS Mk. 2
ERS-11, an unflown TRS Mk. 2 prototype, on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

The TRS Mk. 2 design was a tetrahedron measuring 21 cm on a side. Four were produced: ERS-11 through ERS-14, though only two were launched. [5]

ORS Mk. 2

The ORS Mk. 2 design was an octahedron measuring 23 cm on a side. Five were produced: ORS-1 and ORS-2 (ERS-15 through ERS-16) and ERS-23 through ERS-25. [6]

ORS Mk. 3

The ORS Mk. 3 design was an octahedron measuring 28 cm on a side. Two were produced: ORS-3 and ORS-4 (ERS-17 and ERS-18).[7]

OV5
See also: Orbiting Vehicle § OV5

The design of the OV5 (Orbiting Vehicle 5) series was based on the ORS Mk. 3 design and its vehicles were also given ERS numbers. Nine were produced: OV5-1 through OV5-9.[8]

TETR

TETR (also known as TTR and TATS, all standing for "Test and Training Satellite") was a series of octahedral ERS satellites which were built to train Apollo program ground station crews for the Manned Space Flight Network[9]. Four were produced: TTR-1 through TTR-4 (ERS-30 through ERS-33)[10] TETR 2 supported training for Apollo missions 8 through 13 despite a faulty battery pack. TETR C failed to orbit due to a failure in the launch vehicle. [11]

References
  1. "Satellite, TRS II, Prototype | National Air and Space Museum". airandspace.si.edu. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  2. Wade, Mark. "ERS". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  3. Krebs, Gunter D. "TRS Mk. 1 (ERS)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  4. NASA Historical Staff (1964). Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1963: Chronology on Science, Technology, and Policy (PDF). National Aeronautics and Space Administration. pp. 189, 346. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  5. Krebs, Gunter D. "TRS Mk. 2 (ERS)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  6. Krebs, Gunter D. "ORS Mk.2 (ERS)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  7. Krebs, Gunter D. "ORS Mk.3 (ERS)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  8. Krebs, Gunter D. "OV5 (ERS)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  9. Ezell, Linda Neuman (1988). NASA Historical Data Book: Programs and projects, 1969-1978. Scientific and Technical Information Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration. p. 402.
  10. Krebs, Gunter D. "TTS, TETR (ERS)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  11. "TETR-2 Is Successful Despite Faulty Battery Pack" (PDF). Technical Information Bulletin: The Manned Spaceflight Network. 8 (3). 26 February 1971. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
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