X-Nico

3 unusual facts about International Ultraviolet Explorer


International Ultraviolet Explorer

The first spectrum, of the star Eta Ursae Majoris, was taken for calibration purposes three days after launch.

Rather than give up on the idea of an orbiting UV telescope, they instead sent their plans to NASA administrator Leo Goldberg, and in 1973 the plans were approved.

For most of its lifetime, the telescope was operated in three eight-hour shifts each day, two from the US ground station at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, and one from the ESA ground station at Villanueva de la Cañada near Madrid.



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