The Uhuru SatelliteUhuru, also known as the Small Astronomical Satellite 1 (SAS-1) was the first earth-orbiting mission dedicated entirely to celestial X-ray astronomy. It was launched on 12 December 1970 from the San Marco platform in Kenya. December 12 was the seventh anniversary of the Kenyan independence and in recognition of the hospitality of the Kenyan people, the operating satellite was named Uhuru, which is the Swahili word for freedom. The mission operated over two years and ended in March 1973. Mission CharacteristicsLifetime : 12 Dec 1970 - March 1973Energy Range : 2-20 keV Payload : Two sets of proportional counters: 2-20 keV 0.084 m2 Science Highlights:
Photograph of Uhuru satellite courtesy of SAO.
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