| Mission type | Optical reconnaissance |
|---|---|
| Operator | US Air Force/NRO |
| Harvard designation | 1961 Alpha Kappa 1 |
| COSPAR ID | 1961-034A |
| SATCAT no. | 00213  |
| Mission duration | 4 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | KH-3 Corona |
| Bus | Agena-B |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed |
| Launch mass | 1,150 kilograms (2,540 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 12 December 1961, 20:40 UTC |
| Rocket | Thor DM-21 Agena-B 325 |
| Launch site | Vandenberg LC-75-3-4 |
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | 8 March 1962 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 223 kilometers (139 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 445 kilometers (277 mi) |
| Inclination | 81.1 degrees |
| Period | 91.2 minutes |
Discoverer 36, also known as Corona 9029, was an American optical reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1961. It was a KH-3 Corona satellite, based on an Agena-B rocket. [1] It was the penultimate KH-3 satellite to be launched, the last successful mission, and the most successful of the program. [2]
The launch of Discoverer 36 occurred at 20:40 UTC on 12 December 1961. A Thor DM-21 Agena-B rocket was used, flying from Launch Complex 75-3-4 at the Vandenberg Air Force Base. [3] Upon successfully reaching orbit, it was assigned the Harvard designation 1961 Alpha Kappa 1. OSCAR 1, the first amateur radio satellite, was launched aboard the same rocket. [3]
Discoverer 36 was operated in a low Earth orbit, with a perigee of 223 kilometres (139 mi), an apogee of 445 kilometres (277 mi), 81.1 degrees of inclination, and a period of 91.2 minutes. [4] The satellite had a mass of 1,150 kilograms (2,540 lb), [5] and was equipped with a panoramic camera with a focal length of 61 centimetres (24 in), which had a maximum resolution of 7.6 metres (25 ft). [6] Images were recorded onto 70-millimeter (2.8 in) film, and returned in a Satellite Recovery Vehicle four days after launch. [7] The Satellite Recovery Vehicle used by Discoverer 36 was SRV-525. Once its images had been returned, Discoverer 36 remained in orbit until it decayed on 8 March 1962. [4]
