Solar Mesosphere Explorer SME Ozone Research Spacecraft Family
Solar Mesosphere Explorer (SME) was a NASA Earth-orbiting spacecraft launched on October 6, 1981 to investigate the processes that create and destroy ozone in Earth’s upper atmosphere. Its instruments measured mesospheric ozone, solar ultraviolet radiation, nitrogen dioxide, and related atmospheric properties; it returned data through April 4, 1989 before reentry.
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Identity
- Aliases
- Solar Mesosphere ExplorerSMEExplorer 64Explorer LXIV1981 100ASolar Mesosphere Explorer spacecraft
- Family Name
- Solar Mesosphere Explorer
- Full Name
- Solar Mesosphere Explorer SME Ozone Research Spacecraft Family
- Roles
- orbiterobservatoryresearch
- Status
- retired
- Type
- spacecraft
Details
- Description
- Solar Mesosphere Explorer (SME) was a NASA Earth-orbiting spacecraft launched on October 6, 1981 to investigate the processes that create and destroy ozone in Earth’s upper atmosphere. Its instruments measured mesospheric ozone, solar ultraviolet radiation, nitrogen dioxide, and related atmospheric properties; it returned data through April 4, 1989 before reentry.
- First Flight Year
- 1,981
- Last Flight Year
- 1,989
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- August 14, 2026 at 08:15:44 UTC
- Updated Time
- August 14, 2026 at 08:15:44 UTC