HEAO-1 Launch

G. J. Fishman writes: "The HEAO-1 spacecraft (formerly HEAO-A) was successfully launched into a near-circular orbit on Aug. 12. The orbital period is 93 min and the inclination 22o.8. All spacecraft systems appear to be operating normally. The four experiments are currently undergoing checkout and activation operations. During the first three months of the planned six-month operational lifetime the spacecraft will scan a band of the sky 90o from the sun. The width of this band is from 0o.5 to 20o, depending upon the experiment module. Observers planning to perform coordinated observations with HEAO-1 may obtain the operational status of the spacecraft and experiments from C. Dailey, Code HA-01, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812, U.S.A. (telephone 205-453-1680)."