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| .....Suisei
(the Japanese name meaning `Comet') was
launched on March 18, 1985 into
heliocentric orbit to fly by Comet P/Halley.
It is identical to Sakigake apart from
its payload: a CCD UV imaging system and
a solar wind instrument. The main
objective of the mission was to take UV
images of the hydrogen corona for about
30 days before and after Comet Halley's
descending crossing of the ecliptic plane.
Solar wind parameters were measured for a
much longer time period. The spacecraft
is spin-stabilized at two different rates
(5 and 0.2 rpm). Hydrazine thrusters are
used for attitude and velocity control;
star and sun sensors are for attitude
control; and a mechanically despun off-set
parabolic dish is used for long range
communication. Suisei began UV
observations in Nov. 1985, generating up
to 6 images/day. The spacecraft
encountered Comet P/Halley at 151,000 km
on sunward side during March 8, 1986,
suffering only 2 dust impacts. |
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