Van Allen Probes

Van Allen Probes

Artist's impression of the Van Allen Probes in orbit
Names	Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP)
Mission type	Astrophysics
Operator	NASA
COSPAR ID	2012-046A / 2012-046B
SATCAT no.	38752 / 38753
Website	vanallenprobes.jhuapl.edu
Mission duration	Planned: 2 years Final: 7 years, 1 month, 17 days
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer	Applied Physics Laboratory
Launch mass	~1500 kg for both
Start of mission
Launch date	30 August 2012, 08:05 (2012-08-30UTC08:05) UTC
Rocket	Atlas V 401
Launch site	Cape Canaveral SLC-41
Contractor	United Launch Alliance
End of mission
Deactivated	Van Allen Probe A: 18 October 2019 (2019-10-19) Van Allen Probe B: 19 July 2019
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Highly elliptical
Semi-major axis	21,887 km (13,600 mi)
Perigee altitude	618 km (384 mi)
Apogee altitude	30,414 km (18,898 mi)
Inclination	10.2°
Period	537.1 minutes

The Van Allen Probes, formerly known as the Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP),^[1] were two robotic spacecraft that were used to study the Van Allen radiation belts that surround Earth. NASA conducted the Van Allen Probes mission as part of the Living With a Star program.^[2] Understanding the radiation belt environment and its variability has practical applications in the areas of spacecraft operations, spacecraft system design, mission planning and astronaut safety.^[3] The probes were launched on 30 August 2012 and operated for seven years. Both spacecraft were deactivated in 2019 when they ran out of fuel. They are expected to deorbit during the 2030s.