Discoverer 23

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Discoverer 23
Mission typePhotographic reconnaissance
Operator US Air Force / NRO
Harvard designation1961 Lambda 1
COSPAR ID 1961-011A OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
SATCAT no. 00100 OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type KH-5 ARGON
Bus Agena-B
Manufacturer Lockheed Corporation
Launch mass1150 kg
Start of mission
Launch date8 April 1961, 19:21:08 (1961-04-08UTC19:21:08Z) GMT
Rocket Thor DM-21 Agena-B
(Thor 307)
Launch site Vandenberg, SLC-1E
Launch pad 75-3-5
End of mission
Decay date16 April 1962 (1962-04-17)
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Perigee altitude 294 km
Apogee altitude 624 km
Inclination 82.3°
Period 93.77 minutes
 
The launch of Discoverer 23. Thor Agena B with Discoverer 23 (Apr. 8, 1961).gif
The launch of Discoverer 23.

Discoverer 23, also known as KH-5 9016A, was a USAF photographic reconnaissance satellite under the supervision of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) which was launched in 1961. It was a KH-5 ARGON satellite, based on an Agena-B. [1] It was the second KH-5 mission to be launched, and the second to end in failure. [2]

Contents

Launch

The launch of Discoverer 23 occurred at 19:21:08 GMT on 8 April 1961. A Thor DM-21 Agena-B rocket was used, flying from launch pad 75-3-5 at the Vandenberg Air Force Base. [3] Upon successfully reaching orbit, it was assigned the Harvard designation 1961 Lambda 1.

Mission

Discoverer 23 was operated in an Earth orbit, with a perigee of 294 kilometres (183 mi), an apogee of 624 kilometres (388 mi), 82.3° of inclination, and a period of 93.77 minutes. [4] The satellite had a mass of 1,150 kilograms (2,540 lb), [5] and was equipped with a frame camera with a focal length of 76 millimetres (3.0 in), which had a maximum resolution of 140 metres (460 ft). [6] Images were recorded onto 127 millimetres (5.0 in) film, and ejected aboard a Satellite Return Vehicle, SRV-521. Due to a problem with Discoverer 23's attitude control system, the SRV ended up boosting itself into a higher orbit rather than deorbiting. [5] Discoverer 23 decayed from orbit on 16 April 1962, followed by the SRV on 23 May 1962. [4] · [5]

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References

  1. ↑ https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/query - 24 January 2020
  2. ↑ https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1961-011A - 24 January 2020
  3. ↑ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
  4. 1 2 McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 Wade, Mark. "KH-5". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 13 January 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
  6. ↑ "Corona". Mission and Spacecraft Library. NASA. Archived from the original on 3 October 2007. Retrieved 22 June 2010.


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