Alouette 1

Launched 5 years after the U.S.S.R. (now the Russian Federation) sent its satellite Sputnik 1 into orbit in 1957 and 4 years after the America's Explorer 1 was launched in 1958, Alouette I was Canada's first satellite. Occasionally, Alouette I is misrepresented as the third satellite successfully put in orbit, rather than being from the third country ever to do so--but numerous Sputniks and Explorers preceded it. The name "Alouette" came from the French word for "skylark" and from the title of a popular French-Canadian folk song.

Satellite launch and mission progress

Alouette 1 was launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from the Pacific Missile Range from Vandenberg AFB, California at 06:05 UTC on September 29, 1962, into orbit around the earth. Alouette was used to study the ionosphere, an area of the upper atmosphere where many future satellites would be placed in orbit. Alouette's mission lasted for 10 years before the unit was deliberately switched off. The mission's Canadian director, John Herbert Chapman and Chief Electrical Engineer, Colin A. Franklin both achieved a modicum of success.

As of January 2006, Alouette-1 remains in orbit and some of those pioneers suggest there's a slim chance it might turn on if the right signals were transmitted.

Duplicate construction

Two satellites were built for redundancy in case of a malfunction; if the first unit failed, the second could be launched with only a couple of months delay. It took 3½ years after Alouette's proposal to have it developed and built. The mechanical frame was made in Downsview (DeHavilland ), that building is now the Toronto Aerospace Museum. The satellite S27-2 (Prototype) S27-3 (Which became the flight bird) and S27-4 (which became the backup), was assembled by Defense Telecommunications Establishment Electronics Lab in Ottawa. The batteries used for Alouette were developed by another branch of DRB and responsible for the long lifetime of the satellite. The Antennae used were the first of the STEM antennae used in space and at launch were the longest (125 foot tip to tip). (Al Bingham S27-3 Electronics Technologist)When completed Alouette weighed 145 kg (320 lb) and was launched from a Thor-Agena B two-stage rocket. Alouette 1's backup was later launched as Alouette 2 in 1965 to 'replace' the older Alouette 1.

External links

*CSA Allouette Site
*Canada's Digital Collections government website - About Alouette
*CBC Digital Archives - Launching the Digital Age: Canadian Satellites