OAO-3 (Copernicus)
OAO-3 (Copernicus) was NASA's fourth and final Orbiting Astronomical Observatory and the program's most successful mission. Its ultraviolet telescope obtained high-resolution spectra of stars and other astronomical sources from Earth orbit, establishing a major predecessor to later space observatories.
Follow this mission
Alerts are unavailable because this mission is no longer active.
Identity
- Aliases
- OAO 3OAO-CCopernicusOrbiting Astronomical Observatory 3
- Name
- OAO-3 (Copernicus)
- Status
- completed
Details
- Astronauts
- -
- Description
- OAO-3 (Copernicus) was NASA's fourth and final Orbiting Astronomical Observatory and the program's most successful mission. Its ultraviolet telescope obtained high-resolution spectra of stars and other astronomical sources from Earth orbit, establishing a major predecessor to later space observatories.
- Destination
- Earth orbit
- Launch Site
- Outcome
- Copernicus operated for about eight years and continued ultraviolet and high-energy astronomical observations through 1981.
- Programs
- Start Date
- 1972-08-21
- Vehicle Families
Links
- Official Url
- https://science.nasa.gov/mission/oao/
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- August 15, 2026 at 21:38:28 UTC
- Updated Time
- August 15, 2026 at 21:38:28 UTC
Other
- Affiliations
- Space Stations
- -
- Vehicles
- -