NASA's Vintage ISEE-3 Spacecraft in Pictures (Gallery)

ISEE-3 Artist's Concept

Mark Maxwell / ISEE-3 Reboot Project

Artist's concept of the ISEE-3 probe's anticipated lunar flyby on Aug. 10, 2014.

Artist's Concept of ISEE-3 (ICE) Spacecraft

NASA

Artist's concept image of ISEE-3 (ICE) spacecraft.

ISEE-3-ICE Trajectory

NASA

This illustration shows the trajectory of the ISEE-3-ICE Trajectory spacecraft.

ISEE-3 Spacecraft in Dynamic Test Chamber

NASA

NASA's International Sun-Earth Explorer (ISEE-3) was undergoing testing and evaluation inside Goddard's dynamic test chamber when this photo was taken. Working inside a dynamic test chamber, Goddard engineers wear protective "clean room" clothing to prevent microscopic dust particles from damaging the sophisticated instrumentation. NASA launched the 16-sided polyhedron, which weighed 1,032 lbs. (469 kg.), from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on August 12, 1978.

The ISEE-3 'Away Team'

ISEE-3 Reboot Project

The ISEE-3 "away team" at the Arecibo Telescope in Puerto Rico as they attempt to contact the spacecraft. From left, Dennis Wingo (project co-lead), Balint Seeber and Austin Epps.

ISEE-3 Spacecraft Orbit Approach

NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio

This still from a NASA animation shows the location of the International Sun-Earth Explorer 3 spacecraft relative to Earth on May 22, 2014. The ISEE-3 probe launched in 1978 and will fly near Earth in August 2014.

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