Idea Helios 1 & 2

[Graham2001]

This pair of joint US/FRG probes launched in the mid 1970's were the first missions to attempt to probe the sun from distances closer than Mercury. Both were placed in highly elliptical orbits by Titan-Centaur launch vehicles. Helios 2 is the current record holder for the closest approach by a spacecraft to the Sun (0.29 au) and as one of the fastest moving human spacecraft.

Wikipedia: Helios (Spacecraft)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helios_%28spacecraft%29


NASA News: Helios A

http://hdl.handle.net/2060/19750002903


Launch Report: Helios A

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19760006052_1976006052.pdf


NASA News: Helios B

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19760066105_1976066105.pdf


Launch Report: Helios B

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19760019166_1976019166.pdf


Report: Centaur Extended Flight Propellant Management Experiment

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19760021249_1976021249.pdf

 

[Urwumpe]

Here is a good German text about the experiments carried by the Helios probes and the launch constraints.

http://www.bernd-leitenberger.de/helios.shtml

 

[boogabooga]

?? :huh:

[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=5314"]GEP-Helios-A-B[/ame]