Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Pegasus Project began on the 16th of February 1965 when a NASA Saturn I rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral. This launch marked the first time three satellites named for the winged horse of Greek mythology entered orbit together.
The mission aimed to study how micrometeoroids might puncture spacecraft skin during future Apollo lunar landing missions scheduled for 1970. Scientists at the Marshall Space Flight Center designed and built these instruments to measure impact frequency, size, direction, and penetration capabilities.
Each satellite carried two large arrays extending outward like wings to catch incoming particles. These arrays held 104 panels fitted with sensors capable of detecting punctures by tiny space debris.
The third satellite flew lower at 441 kilometers perigee and burned up much earlier on the 4th of August 1969. International Designators assigned to each vehicle allowed precise tracking of their final atmospheric disintegration dates between 1969 and 1979.
Ernst Stuhlinger directed the MSFC Research Projects Laboratory when scientists gathered additional data beyond micrometeoroid penetration. Teams analyzed gyroscopic motion and orbital characteristics of rigid bodies moving through space environments.