NASA's 1961 Explorer 9 measured upper atmosphere despite beacon outage
Technology
Back in 1961, NASA launched Explorer 9 to study Earth's upper atmosphere.
The satellite's radio beacon stopped working, but that didn't stop it from making a big impact: scientists still managed to collect important data about how our atmosphere changes and affects satellites.
Explorer 9's inflatable enabled drag measurements
Even without radio contact, observers on the ground tracked Explorer 9's unique inflatable design, a lightweight plastic sphere about 12 feet wide.
This clever setup let them keep tabs on the satellite and gather insights that helped researchers understand upper-atmospheric drag on satellites.
Explorer 9 proved you don't always need perfect tech for a mission to matter.